


Head Full of Ghosts

by InuzukaYuina



Series: Of Ghosts and Demons [1]
Category: Naruto
Genre: BDSM, Bisexual Character, Chakra natures actually matter, Insanity, Loss of Control, Mental Health Issues, Mental Instability, Mind Control, Multi, Original Character(s), Original Character-centric, Sexual Violence, Torture, elemental chakra
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-02
Updated: 2021-01-24
Packaged: 2021-03-06 23:13:26
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 23
Words: 113,070
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26256940
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/InuzukaYuina/pseuds/InuzukaYuina
Summary: Hatake Akurei always knew she was special, better than everyone else.  She knew she was too good for the academy.  Her brother had become a genin at 5, but she would do better than that.  Despite his trauma changing him, she would remain on the path to surpass everyone around her, including Kakashi. She was the youngest shinobi to ever be chosen to train with Konoha's Torture and Interrogation Force.  She was on her way to proving how elite she was until everything changed, until everything was taken from her and left her mind a shattered mess. Going back to the academy was the worst punishment she could ever endure.
Relationships: Hatake Kakashi/Original Female Character(s), Morino Ibiki & Original Character(s), Yamanaka Ino/Original Character(s), original - Relationship
Series: Of Ghosts and Demons [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2039729
Kudos: 18





	1. Confrontation

**Author's Note:**

> This is part 1 of a 2-part series. Ghosts delves into the past of the main characters of Akurei primarily and her team members, and is a bit of a slower burn than part 2. 
> 
> Part 2 digs even deeper and focuses more on the mental health aspects of everyone in the entire story and how they handle the fucked up shit all shinobi are subjected to regularly. It jumps around a lot more and shows how all of the many characters are intertwined in each other's trauma. I'm still reworking Demons, and hopefully it should start being uploaded soon!

"Kakashi! I'm home!" Akurei called, closing the door gently behind her. She hadn't expected to hear a response, but habit and hope that he had returned took over. He may have come back from his mission. It had already been two days. "Kakashi?" She called again, trotting all around, checking every room for signs of her older brother. His room was exactly as he had left it, though. In no time she had checked the entire small house. No sign he had come back and simply wasn't home.

She climbed up onto a chair and sat down at the small kitchen table, a few papers of homework in front of her. She could hardly see the papers on the table without craning her neck upwards. She had always been small for her age, and she was by far the shortest in her entire class by more than a few inches. Kakashi never teased her about being short. He may have been the only one.

She worked on her homework, basic math and reading. She would breeze through this and then move on to the extra work she had asked for, much more advanced knowledge about chakra pathways, tenketsu and the science behind basic cloning techniques. Even these she could do with ease. Her brother was a child prodigy, and while he never showed it, she knew Kakashi was pleased when she surpassed those around her as he always did. And as he expected from her, she would soon be promoted to the next academic level ahead of schedule.

She was only five, the same age that her brother had become a Genin. She worked hard to keep up with the pace he had set, but she thought her tiny size often hindered her physical progress. Kakashi never accepted that excuse, and was one of the only ones to push her to use her frail size to her advantage rather than treat it like a handicap. A smaller target is harder to hit, after all. He had warned her not to listen to other kids. They would be jealous that someone so young was smarter than they were. Other people shouldn't be regarded in a way that makes their opinions important, so Akurei shouldn't be able to get hurt by them. Shinobi are tools, and must always focus on the mission, something their father didn't do.

Akurei checked the clock every few minutes as she worked. Kakashi had just been promoted to Jounin and the leader of his group. He was only 13, yet again setting a precedence that Akurei would use as motivation. He had been gone for a few days on an important mission that would help the war effort. She was proud of him, and knew he would do his job well. But still she sat patiently, hoping this would be the moment he arrived home from his first mission as team leader. She hoped he would have enough energy to train with her this evening. He never went easy on her because of her size.

The sun began to set. The silence of the empty house was numbing, almost frightening. She would never admit it, but she hated being alone. Just knowing that Kakashi was nearby was comforting, even though he rarely spoke. The house would still be silent, but the feel completely different. Sensing his familiar chakra nearby, his presence was somehow warm-feeling. Now it was only cold and empty.

The sun had set long ago. The house now was black, a boundless pit of nothing. Her homework was on the table in front of her, forgotten in the darkness. She wasn't unaccustomed to being left alone, but she still hated it. Every time Kakashi had a long mission she seemed to be on-edge. She couldn't fully concentrate, she couldn't relax enough to sleep well, and when sleep did find her she would jolt awake at the slightest noise, anticipating her brother's return. She could always sense it from upstairs when he came home, no matter how quiet he was.

Kakashi told her that she was special, that not many people can feel chakra like she can. She could sense her brother’s mood just by being near him. Her father's, too, before he died. She was too young to have anticipated what Sakumo's sudden chakra change had meant for him, but Kakashi didn't hold that against her. He had been weak, there was nothing to be done.

Akurei snapped awake, her short, stark-white hair a mess. She hadn't realized she had dozed off at the kitchen table. Someone was approaching the front door. Not Kakashi. She wiped drool off her face and tried to think of what time it was. Nighttime, obviously. No one should be coming near her house. She jumped out of the chair and started for the stairs as the approaching person banged loudly on the door.

"Hatake Akurei, open the door," The voice was deep, a man's. No. Something was wrong. She hurdled up the stairs, still groggy from sleep.

"We know you're there, please come to the door," Another man's voice called from downstairs as the loud banging on the door continued. In a panic, Akurei found herself in Kakashi's room. She hadn't expected him to be there, but a part of her wished he was. But this was also her escape route. His room faced the back of the house, and there was a small window that only she could possibly fit through. If the strangers got into the house, they would have to backtrack to reach her, giving her a head-start. She yanked open the window and wiggled through.

She leaped from rooftop to rooftop rushed and ungraceful, panicking, not even stopping to catch her breath for an instant. If the men following her were as old as they sounded, she would need this head start. No one came to their house, ever. Something was wrong.

She bolted into the dark streets lit only by shops and signs, dodging the sparse people scattered about. “Kakashi!!” Akurei yelled, receiving stares from some but not holding still long enough to care. A momentary hush fell over a nearby bar as she ran screaming by, yelling her brother's name over and over. Her tumultuous presence on the quiet night street caused confusion in some, and pity in others. “Kakashi! Kakashi!!” She almost ran into someone's legs as they exited a building, but she ignored the complaints that followed. Only one person mattered right now.

She continued sprinting down the street, the cool night air finally feeling raspy in her throat. She had turned some corners and now the streets were getting darker as the still-lit shops became scarcer. She continued to run blindly, maybe to the forest, she didn't know. Deep down she knew she should have been running to either the hospital, or the graveyard. “Kakashi-!” Her voice was suddenly cut off as she ran right into someone's legs and fell backwards. The man had appeared so quickly she didn't have time to turn. An older Jounin stared down at her.

"Hatake Akurei, please come with me." If he had been following her, it didn't show. She was so out of breath her chest hurt; he wasn't even breathing out of his mouth. She tried not to look at his face, for fear of seeing the look on it. But her eyes met his, and her heart sank.

No, this wasn't happening. She wouldn't hear what he had hunted her down to say. Akurei bolted up and turned to run the other way, but another Jounin was blocking her path. She froze, stuck in between the two of them. She could try to run around them, but they would catch her. Her mind raced, trying to think of another possible escape route. Could she go up? They were in a narrow alley, and her chakra control was already good enough for vertical running. If she could get to the rooftops again...

She knew it, she knew they would catch her, but still her mind raced. It was too late for a replacement Jutsu or shadow clone. Why hadn't she thought of that sooner? Before she could scold herself for not thinking better under such duress, the man behind her spoke.

"We are not here to harm you, Hatake," Akurei whirled around to face the man she had run into. His voice was calm, his face now a solemn mask. He must have realized that his empathetic expression had scared her into fearing the worst about her missing brother. She stared up at him with her cloudy gray eyes, focusing all of her willpower on appearing calm. “Your brother is in the hospital,” The man said apologetically. Upon seeing the look on Akurei's face he quickly spoke again. “He is fine, don't worry... But he wishes to see you.” The man seemed hesitant to reveal this information, or unsure of the content of his message. Something was definitely wrong.

Akurei stared up at him, trying to read his chakra patterns. It was easy with people she knew, like Kakashi. Their chakra was so similar it required little effort. But this man's was unknown to her, and she could gather no new information.

“We've wasted enough time. We'll take you to him now,” The other Jounin said.

Akurei was silent the entire walk to the hospital, and her Jounin company didn't say a word to her. The closer they got to Kakashi, the faster Akurei's walk got until she was all-out sprinting. Her companions didn't say a word, just followed the pace she set. When they were right outside the hospital, the chakra of both Jounin changed so slightly only Akurei would notice. They were anxious.

The two stayed close to her as she ran down the halls of the hospital. She didn't need directions. She followed the feeling of despair.

As she rounded a corner, she found herself nearly running into Kakashi's sensei. Minato was leaning against a door, his head down and eyes closed. Akurei could feel his overwhelming sadness and anger like bugs crawling on her skin. He wasn't even making an attempt to keep his chakra under control, but no one else seemed to notice. His face didn't give away any emotion, but the air around him sure did. Could no one else feel it? If they did, they didn't want to discuss it. There were a few doctors near the door, and another Jounin. They were all silent.

Minato looked down at her. Kakashi was just beyond the door he was blocking. Why was he keeping her away? Kakashi wanted to see her. She thought about protesting, or trying to force him to move. If he saw how badly she wanted to get in, maybe he would let her by.

Instead she stalled. She tried to pick up any new information she could. She stayed perfectly still, feeling for any sudden changes in chakra from the medics and Jounin around her. The doctors were out here, and she felt only two people in the room beyond. No one had noticed yet. Good.

The only thing that worried her was Kakashi. From beyond the door she could feel his chakra as if he were right next to her. She had never felt it like this before. It was frantic, exhausted, uncontrolled and desperate. At its very core was nothing but sorrow. It felt a lot like her fathers had before he died. But it was unpredictable, and strong.

She wanted badly to ask Minato what had happened to put her brother in such a terrible state. Had he failed the mission? His chakra was too powerful, not an indication that his injuries forced him to fall back before he completed his task. No, that wasn't it. Something had shaken him, and badly. But the atmosphere of the older ninja around her prevented her from speaking up to ask. They were grim, and she had never seen the calm Minato so upset. Asking about what happened felt wrong.

“Akurei...” Minato finally spoke. He paused, searching for words. When he spoke his voice was slow and regretful. “Kakashi will be fine. But for now, maybe it is best that you do not see him...” He was torn. He knew Kakashi wanted to see his sister almost as much as she wanted to see him. But he was also afraid of what that might do to both of them. Kakashi had made a request in his anguish, one that Minato did not understand.

Suddenly Minato stood upright, eyes narrowed at the child before him. The sound of Kakashi's chakra igniting into Chidori filled his ears. The Akurei before him vanished in a puff of smoke. Raised voices came from behind the door. Minato burst into the room to see the two Hatake facing each other in the middle of the hospital room. Dark blue lightning chakra screamed around the room, encircling them both. Their chakra was resonating, and even Minato was having trouble figuring out where Kakashi's ended and Akurei's began. How she was managing to keep up with her brother was baffling enough to give Minato pause.

Minato could not piece together why the two of them were fighting. As he stared in disbelief, Minato noticed that Kakashi's chakra was out of control. He was in a rage, and his gigantic ball of chidori that encompassed both of them reflected that. Akurei's chakra couldn't compare to her brothers, but she seemed to be directing it. The veins of electricity did not touch her. Once the chidori got near, her own chakra fused with it and gently directed it back above their heads. Kakashi's intent was not to hurt her. They were having a battle of will.

“... _just like dad. I thought you said_....” Minato couldn't hear their conversation over the sound of screaming birds. Akurei's voice was deep and harsh, but somehow still soft. “... _just like him!_ ” They weren't yelling at each other, but rather forcefully speaking. Minato had a feeling this was the loudest they had ever been with each other.

Kakashi seemed to be getting a lecture about duty from his younger sister. The words he could make out were familiar. She was throwing his own philosophies at him. He had told her what happened, it seemed, and she didn't understand why Kakashi was so upset at losing a teammate.

“...would you do if I died?” Kakashi growled at her, his right eye wide and furious.

“That's different. You're family.” She spat back, appalled that he would use such a counter-argument. Minato watched them each struggling to grasp the situation, frightened that he had absolutely no idea how to handle it. Should he break them up? Kakashi had been through something traumatic, and it changed him. He wanted his sister to see that. She did not, or she didn't want to. Instead Akurei clung to the teachings he had given her since their father died. What else did she have?

Minato recognized quickly why Akurei was so angry, and how their talking escalated into this. She didn't want to lose him. She wanted him to go back to the way he was, but his words must have indicated that he was different now, and she was feverishly denying this change. Neither one had ever been openly emotional, but Minato knew they cared deeply for one another. It was almost humorous that this was the product of their emotional exchange.

“I was wrong, Rei.” Kakashi's chidori began to expand, whips of lighting cracking against the walls, turning the light fixtures and furniture in the room into dust and rubble. Akurei was visibly struggling to maintain control of her brother's power.

“Minato-san! This is getting dangerous! Stop them!” One of the doctors called from behind him. He put his hand up to silence him, deciding to let the siblings finish. Kakashi had never let out so much emotion before. Minato wasn't even sure he possessed emotion. But this was necessary for Kakashi to come to terms with, to accept his feelings. He wasn't just trying to convince his sister, he was convincing himself.

“No.” Akurei was shaking her head. Her brother was exhausted. He was just lashing out. He didn't mean it. “You... always told me... feelings made a ninja weak... That's why dad...” Akurei was showing signs of weakening. Minato had to dodge a rogue bolt. She had been controlling the chidori so perfectly, but Kakashi was overpowering her. If Minato let this go on much longer, Kakashi would destroy more than just this room. And if Akurei suddenly let go, she would be hit hard. Still he couldn't make himself intervene.

“Obito said dad was a hero...” There was a tightening in Kakashi's chest he hadn't felt since their father's suicide. But this time it was worse. This time he was questioning himself, his way of life, instead of it being solidified. “ _Obito gave his life for me!_ ”

“Because you had a better chance of succeeding-!”

“No, Rei!!” Kakashi was finally yelling. His chakra was lashing in all directions. The doctors had long since left to get help to move nearby patients, and the other Jounin watched, ready to dodge hospital debris at a moment's notice. Kakashi spoke once more, but the chidori drowned out his words. It was thunderous, and in the blink of an eye Minato regretted not intervening when he had the chance. The lightning moved as fast as his flash technique, and he hadn't thought to put a tag on Kakashi or his sister. Akurei's eyes widened in fear as she lost control of Kakashi's chakra completely. The argument was over.

Akurei awoke in a different hospital room. Kakashi was not there. She bolted upright, looking for him, and tried reaching out for his chakra with her own. Instantly her body was overcome with pain. He hadn't injured any organs, as a concentrated chidori would do. He had flooded her system with his own chakra until she blacked out. Forcing her own chakra back out was proving to be agonizing.

They had played this game before, it was a good exercise in chakra control, and easy to do since their chakra was so similar it naturally resonated. But Kakashi had never inflicted such widespread pain before. He had wanted her to be unconscious. Maybe so he could leave without further confrontation.

Akurei slowly realized her fears were true; Kakashi was no longer in the hospital. As she forced her own chakra back into a functioning state, she reached out. Her range at sensing her brother's chakra was excellent. He was nowhere nearby.

Why would he want to leave? He was in no emotional state to be walking around anywhere. The doctors should have given him medicine to calm him down, but they didn't. They let his rage grow until she got there. But why?

The door to her small room opened slowly, and one of the doctors from before entered. He approached her bed slowly, watching her with apprehensive eyes. “I was told to keep you here until Minato returns. Kakashi plans to complete his mission, despite the loss of his teammates.” The doctor tensed, expecting the child to bolt up or start yelling. She did neither. “Minato is with him. They'll be fine,” He added, unsure of how to comfort her, or if she even needed it. Her face was completely blank, with only a flicker of annoyance.

Akurei noticed that his chakra was a bit erratic, a common trait of nervousness. He was hiding something. She continued to stare him down silently, observing.

“Is it safe to assume that you will comply with my orders? If... if you try to leave, you will be forcibly detained.” The doctor waited for a response. Akurei gave no indication of cooperating or disobeying. Instead she continued to observe, and watched as his tension grew.

Perhaps he had never been stared down by an extremely tiny five-year-old girl. He had seen her and Kakashi's mental battle, he had seen her controlling tremendous power, even if he hadn't known exactly who it belonged to. It was the first time someone had looked upon her with genuine dread. She was unknown to him, her abilities were mysterious and dangerous to him. Her young age only made her more confusing. It suddenly clicked that an adult was afraid of her. It was a refreshing change from ridicule and belittlement.

This man must have been the only doctor ordered to watch her. He wouldn't have been this wary if he had backup. The other doctors must be busy dealing with the damage she and her brother had caused. She had blacked out before she could get a good look at the room, but she definitely had heard walls crumbling, windows breaking, things falling from above. She had to force herself not to smile and reveal her thoughts. She could overpower this medic.

He inched to the side, nearing some machines that beeped and hummed. He reached out and pushed a button quickly, backing up after the switch had been triggered. It was then that Akurei realized a flaw in her plans.

The machines were hooked up to her. There was an IV in the back of her forearm that she hadn't even noticed. How could she not have noticed? She was in a hospital, that should have been the first thing she looked for. She had read the information incorrectly. The doctor was scared, and she let that information cloud her judgment. He had accidentally tricked her, simply by being a timid man.

Just as she anticipated, she was lying on her back within a few seconds. Her strength was quickly sapped from her body. She blacked out with her hand around the IV tube, too weak to pull it out.


	2. Changes

Akurei's eyes slowly opened, taking some time to adjust to the bright room. They must have kept her asleep for some time. The beeping and humming noises of the machines were gone, replaced by the songs of birds outside her open window.

Minato sat on the edge of her bed. He was deep in thought, and probably hadn't noticed her waking yet. His chakra was less wild than the last time she saw him, but still mournful. It moved slowly around him, calm on the surface but underneath was strong currents of emotion.

Suddenly Akurei could feel nothing from him. He turned around to face her. He must have started suppressing his chakra when he sensed she was awake.

“Good morning, Akurei,” He tried to sound cheerful but his words were hollow. “I still can't decide if allowing your... confrontation... was a good idea.” He sighed and stood up. “But what's done is done. It seems to have affected your brother much more than you, however. That is... regrettable.” Akurei looked down at her arm, where the IV was. Minato had removed it. The grogginess was starting to wear off, and his words were getting clearer. “I came here to inform you of Kakashi's request.” Akurei perked up at hearing his name, but Minato seemed saddened by it. “Someone has taken an interest in your abilities. Kakashi wishes for you to begin training as an ANBU.”

“I haven't graduated yet. That seems unlikely.” Akurei looked around the room, and reached out once more, knowing that she wouldn't sense her brother nearby.

“Your regular studies will be postponed. If your potential has been misjudged, you will go back to the academy.” Akurei sat up and looked at Minato. He was doing a good job of hiding his thoughts from her. He was maybe a foot away, and yet she could feel no chakra at all.

“Where is Kakashi.” It wasn't so much a question as a demand.

“He... needs some time. He has arranged for you to stay with the ANBU member who will be giving you your primary training-”

“No.” Akurei stared into Minato's neutral face. So many thoughts were racing through her mind. Kakashi did not want her around anymore. Their father had also isolated himself before he ended it. A morbid thought.

“I know your fear. I promise it's not like that. Your brother needs time to mourn his friends. He needs time to... figure some things out. He plans on becoming ANBU himself, but he will take his training far away. And you... he wants you to be with equals. He... has come to resent the way you think about those currently around you. He thinks you will change your mind about people if he can surround you with decent ones.”

“I said no. Let me talk to Kakashi.” Akurei sat up straight, her attention focused on her brother's sensei.

“It is too soon for that. You would only end up fighting, and he isn't prepared to do that again. I know you love your brother, give him a chance. Think about what he said. He wants you to understand what he has just learned. But that will take time. He will come back for you, Akurei. But you both need to do some growing.” Minato sounded genuinely sorry.

Akurei started to panic. He was serious. She wouldn't be living with Kakashi anymore. She wouldn't have the comfort of his familiar chakra around her when she slept. She could deal with him being away on missions, but she didn't like it. Now he wanted to leave her for an undisclosed amount of time. Judging from the feel of his chakra when they fought, she could not anticipate when he would return to normal, or if he ever would.

“I... I'm sorry, Akurei. But trust me when I say that Kakashi will be fine. I'm sure that when he pulls himself together, he will come visit you during your training months. But this is how he wants it to be. He wants to give you a chance to care about other people like he knows you care about him.”

“No, he’s not leaving. I can train and still live with him.” Akurei’s voice was deep and serious, quieter than normal. A small part of her had realized that this was a pointless argument.

“Akurei, he has already left. If you two were to live in the same house right now, I fear it would be unhealthy for both of you. You are angry, and Kakashi is… he is angry, too, but for different reasons. If you trust your brother, give him time. Do what he asks. He is only thinking of you-“

“No he isn’t. He doesn’t want to hear what I have to say.”

“No, he doesn’t. Because everything you would say is how he used to think. But he thinks differently now, and he wants you to find people to care about. And he wants you to get stronger. Just give him a few weeks to calm down. He will come back, and then you can talk. He told me to tell you that is a promise. Will you do it?” Minato asked. His words seemed sincere, and Akurei felt a tinge of guilt for what she was putting Kakashi through. Even if they didn’t agree, she decided to respect his wishes.

“Ok. If he keeps his promise…” Akurei sat back, staring down at her hands. She lost. But what else could she do? If he came back in a few weeks, that wouldn’t be so bad. He had been on longer missions. If he needed time, then she would have to trust him. They had never been good at talking to each other, and she knew deep down that if he were to suddenly come back right now, she would be too angry to stay calm. If they tried to talk again so soon, she would attack him, or he would attack her, and nothing would change. Maybe it was better this way. Maybe she needed to do some cooling off anyway. The idea of escaping the academy was enticing, as well.

Minato smiled at her, relieved. Kakashi had assured him that she would see the sense in his request, and it seemed like he knew his sister after all. She was taking it surprisingly well. He had expected to have to subdue her.

“But... I can stay in our house, if Kakashi won’t be there. Who will be training me?” Akurei asked, hoping her counter-request would be considered. The thought of living with anyone else, of having unfamiliar chakra near while she slept, frightened her.

“Part of Kakashi’s request is that you are not to be left alone. You will be staying in the Uchiha section of town, and your two primary sensei will be Uchiha Itachi and Morino Ibiki. Itachi is an ANBU captain-“

“I know who he is. Why do I need two?” She snapped at him, upset that her request was shot down. Kakashi was deciding every small detail of her life, without even having told her himself. His teammate that died had been an Uchiha. Is that why he was giving her to them? Because of Obito? He owed the Uchiha his life, and he was repaying that debt with hers. A sudden flare of annoyance rose in her.

“Morino Ibiki leads the Torture and Interrogation Force,” Minato stated. Akurei momentarily forgot about her building anger, and listened, intrigued. “He has taken an interest in you. Your ability to read chakra patterns is… useful. He thinks he can train you to become a human lie detector. That would be quite useful with interrogations, don’t you think?” Minato smiled at her, sensing that she was becoming overwhelmed. It was a lot to drop on a child. Kakashi had said that Akurei would be thrilled to leave the academy. She hated it there. He wanted her to be happy. When Itachi had approached Kakashi weeks ago, he said he would ask her about it. But he had stalled. He selfishly wanted her to stay with him. The intensive training would have required her to be temporarily relocated, and if she did well, she would probably have left him for years. He liked being the only one she relied on. He did not want her to have attachments to other people, for fear it would make her weak. But now, he had changed. Minato thought his decision was based off of the pain he was feeling, and wanted him to wait. But he had made up his mind. He didn’t want to hold her back from her feelings anymore. A huge fissure had opened between them, one that Kakashi took the blame for. He had made her the way she was, and now he had to figure out how to make her understand his new respect for his teammates. He had tried explaining it, but it had been like arguing with his past self, and they only ended up fighting. It was something she had to learn on her own, but he would help push her in the right direction.

“You can stay here tonight, if you need some time to think. Or I can send Itachi to retrieve you later today.” Minato watched her staring at her hands blankly. He wondered what was going on in her head. It looked like she was done talking, however. He worried that this would push Akurei further from her brother, but Kakashi had said that he knew she would forgive him. She would love the challenging training and not being talked down to, and when he came back, they could try being more open with each other. Minato sighed and stood up, hoping that Kakashi was right. Akurei did not stop him from leaving, as he had anticipated. She did not stir as he shut the door behind him.

Akurei was more than confused. It was confusing how excited she felt, and frustrating whenever she thought about Kakashi. He was weak, but at least he wanted to make her strong.

She sat alone for hours, thinking. She could get over unfamiliar chakra when she slept. She would have to. Unless she was adaptable, she was weak. It was a good exchange for escaping the academy and all of the weak, stupid kids who made fun of her because she was better than them. She was mad at Kakashi, but his idea was good, and suited her well. But she hated how deep the pain went. He had left her, without saying a word. He promised to come back soon, but it still hurt. And that made her angry. Shinobi were not supposed to feel hurt, it was disgraceful. At least, that’s what he had always believed. But not anymore. Now suddenly emotional pain was a good thing to Kakashi, even admirable. What was she supposed to think?

She got up, tired of thinking. She needed to get outside and clear her head. She wrenched open the window and swung her legs over the edge. It was a small window, but she could fit her whole body through it with no problem. She jumped down into the alley below, and the fall made her dizzy. She stumbled a bit, but regained her posture. It had been a very long time since she ate anything, she suddenly realized, and emerged into the busy street.

It hit her that she hadn’t grabbed any money when she fled her house however many nights ago that had been. The streets were filled with strangers or enemies, no one who would buy her any food no matter how loudly her stomach growled. The only logical place she could go was home.

Akurei walked the path she had so many times before. She didn’t even have to think about it, her body just took her where she needed to go. Unfortunately this cleared up space in her brain for more frustrating thoughts about Kakashi, so she decided to take a detour. She took the alleyways instead, navigating around clusters of apartments behind storefronts, trying to remember who lived there and recognize the stores by their backs and the smells from their dumpsters.

It wasn’t until she saw them that she remembered why she avoided this route in the past. Two boys were leaving one of the apartments through the side door and into an adjacent alley. One of them was in her class, and try as she may, she could not recall his name. She only knew that he was one of the most unpleasant people in her class, and teased her more than anyone else. He was with an older boy, probably his brother, and they were arguing. She kept walking, hoping that they were too distracted to notice her. She had almost made it past the alley and out of sight, when he called out to her.

“Hey! Where have you been, tiny? Skipping school? Or did they finally realize they accidentally put a baby in a real ninja class?” He yelled. Akurei did not turn to look at them, and kept walking. He had been out of new insults for so long that Akurei was getting bored. She passed the corner and could no longer see them. Maybe he would realize the pointlessness of taunting her and they would continue on their way. But no, the boy had his older brother with him. He wanted to show off. He rounded the corner, his older brother behind him and visibly annoyed. “Why don’t you answer me, tiny? Are you too….” He was talking, but Akurei wasn’t listening. His words became an annoying buzz in the background. She was getting dizzy again, and regretting going the long way home.

The chakra change was subtle, but it was definitely fear. Fear that he would maybe hit her with the kunai he just threw. She dodged it without turning around. He was becoming a nuisance.

“…the hell are you doing? She’s a little girl!” His older brother at least had some sense, and whacked him on the back of the head.

“Ow!! No, she is evil and mean! She’s the one who broke my arm!” His voice was so whiney it was physically painful to hear. But she did vaguely remember breaking someone’s arm a few months ago during class. She had been trying to mimic the Hyuuga technique of using chakra to wound an opponent, since her body was too weak physically to grapple with her much larger partner, and she had excellent chakra control. It wasn’t even a break, it was a fracture, now that she thought about it. She chuckled under her breath.

“Wait… that’s her? That little girl?” The older boy looked genuinely shocked. “You said she was small, but you didn’t say you let a five-year-old kid break your arm,” He was torn between laughter and sheer disappointment. He turned to walk back down the alley and towards the main street, shaking his head. His little brother, however, had different plans.

The boy charged at Akurei, throwing more kunai as he did. She sighed and dodged them, turning around to face her attacker. And later he would wonder why he got hurt.

She quickly did the hand seals and readied a weak chidori. She didn’t intend to kill him, but perhaps a powerful shock of her chakra through his system would put him down and she could go home. The sound of screaming birds filled the alley, and dark blue lighting enveloped her hand. Kakashi didn’t like that she had created her own version of his attack, and purposefully made it less powerful. She was not as strong as him, but her specialty was messing with the chakra of her enemies, and getting the shock of her lightning was a good way to completely disrupt the flow. It was an attack that looked powerful and dangerous, even though hers wasn’t. Maybe the sight of it would cause him to hesitate or back off.

But before her hand could connect with the chest of the boy who she still could not remember, the older boy grabbed her wrist and slammed into her body with his, knocking the wind out of her. The chidori quickly dissipated. He let the momentum carry her to the ground, and there was another explosion of pain as he crashed down on top of her; a stabbing pain in her stomach, in her chest, then in the back of her head as she hit the ground hard. She gasped for air, and it felt as though she were choking on her own lungs.

“That attack… How dare you try to kill my brother! What the hell is wrong with you?!” His chakra had changed; he was completely serious now. He was also much bigger than he looked from a distance, now that the entire weight of his body was crushing her, his knee jammed into her sternum. Akurei continued to choke, held still underneath him, her lungs unable to completely fill. “How do you even know that technique?” He continued to speak, but the only word she could make out was “Hatake.” The weak ones always had someone who would protect them from fights they started and couldn’t finish. Maybe that’s why he was so pathetic, because he depended too much on his brother. The thought made Akurei feel sick. Or maybe it was the being crushed that was making her feel sick. She wanted to vomit, but she had nothing to expel. Maybe it was a good thing she hadn’t eaten.

She was getting dizzy again, so dizzy that she could see white spots in her vision. She didn’t have the energy to try and shock this boy off of her. Under normal circumstances infiltrating his chakra system would have been a breeze this close to him. But Akurei realized she didn’t care anymore. She couldn’t make herself attack him. She couldn’t even see him anymore.

She must have blacked out for a few minutes, because when she came to, someone was standing over her. She couldn’t tell if it was the boy who had knocked her down. But after a few seconds of trying to collect herself, she felt the two sibling’s chakra getting farther away, and quickly. They were fleeing.

“Are you alright, Rei-chan?” She sat up so quickly that the white spots came back.

“Kakashi?” She whispered, and there were suddenly arms around her, picking her up.

“No, I’m sorry. Let’s go get you some food.” She was looking into the crimson eyes of a Sharingan. The man had long hair as black as night. It was the polar opposite of Kakashi. She felt foolish for hoping it was Kakashi, and weak for needing someone to rescue her.

Why did he call her that? Only Kakashi had called her by anything other than Akurei. She hadn’t even met this man before. Was he taunting her? How much did he know about her brother? About her? Suddenly she was wary of the man who was carrying her, and tried to push off from his chest to get to the ground. His arms did not budge at first, but then he reconsidered. She fell to her feet and stumbled to her hands and knees. Why was she so dizzy?

“I did not mean to upset you. My name is Itachi,” He stood still, not attempting to help her to her feet. His eyes were as black as his hair now as he concealed his Sharingan, trying not to look too imposing. Akurei took a few seconds, waiting for the ground to stop moving before she stood up. A sudden wave of nausea and a stabbing pain in her gut knocked her back down, and she realized that breathing was excruciating. “One of your ribs may be cracked, and your diaphragm was hit pretty hard. You shouldn’t try to speak yet. If you want, I can carry you back to my house, and we can make sure nothing is broken.” Akurei didn’t move. All she could do was stare at her hands on the ground holding her up, imagining the relief of vomiting onto the concrete in between them. But nothing would come up.

Itachi took a step towards her. His chakra was not threatening, but Akurei couldn’t help but feel threatened. The pain in her gut and her ragged, agonizingly shallow breaths were starting to cause panic. She did not want to go home with this man. Her house was so close. She had almost made it. She tried to stand up again, and managed to stumble a few steps before collapsing. If she stood up too straight, the pain was unbearable. She fell to her side, curled in a tiny ball, and tried not to cry. She was so close.

She hadn’t even noticed him close the distance between them, but she did not protest as he gently picked her up again, careful not to do it too fast and make her dizzy. Her own arms were crossed tightly over her stomach, and she felt her arms shaking with the effort of trying to hold herself still. She let her head lean against Itachi’s chest, but she couldn’t stop tensing the rest of her body. She was trying to pull her legs into her chest, and only Itachi’s hands locked around the top of her knees and her shoulders kept her in a reasonable carrying position. He was trying to keep her from curling up to the point where breathing was even more difficult.

“Relax, Akurei,” Itachi’s deep voice was comforting, but she had started shaking and couldn’t stop. It was taking everything she had to keep from going into full panic mode. What was wrong with her? Her breathing was still painstakingly shallow, every breath sending a knife through her chest. And she was still being carried away from her home, away from Kakashi, by a total stranger. “I can make you sleep, if you want.” He suggested. Akurei didn’t know what she wanted. She wanted the pain to stop. She wanted to not care about Kakashi as much as she did. She wanted to leave the academy, but she wanted to stay with Kakashi. Why couldn’t she have both? He was making things way too complicated. She couldn’t even feel if they were walking or not she was shaking so badly, trying to curl up into a tighter ball despite Itachi’s firm grip on her.

He was sitting, Akurei in his lap. Without warning, Itachi’s hand grabbed her chin and forced her head upwards, until she was looking into those crimson eyes again. She was out almost instantly.


	3. Introductions

Akurei awoke in a strange place. It looked like a normal house, but it felt wrong. She hadn’t even begun to get her bearings and already she felt completely overwhelmed, as if a crowd of people were around her. She was alone in a small room, but she was drowning in all of the chakra. There were a lot of very strong ninja close by.

She took a few deep breaths, glad to be able to breathe normally again. Someone must have healed her while she slept. She took another deep breath, and tried to calm herself down, to get used to the rampant chakra flowing all around. It was this way at the academy sometimes, but then at least she was prepared, she was anticipating it. She hated feeling so hectic when she was first waking up. She closed her eyes and slowly shut it out, focusing only on her own chakra flow.

There was a knock at the door, and the wooden door slid open slowly. Akurei kept her eyes closed, but she could tell it was Itachi’s chakra. He entered and shut the door behind him, sitting on the floor next to her bed mat. The smell of food finished waking her up quickly. She sat up as he put a steaming bowl of kayu and a small plate of onigiri in front of her. She bowed in thanks and tried to remember to chew.

“You’ve had a pretty rough day, so we will begin your training tomorrow. Don’t think this will be painless, or that I’ll go easy on you because you’re only half of a person,” Akurei nearly choked on her food at this. Itachi was smiling. His teasing didn’t hurt. In fact, it rather amused her. “I can tell you’re uncomfortable here. You are too sensitive to chakra. I thought about moving you into my parents’ house, but your brother warned me that you might not like that idea. Your old house is in a pretty quiet place, isolated, not too many neighbors with powerful chakra. No one bothers you there. I’m afraid there isn’t a place quite like that in our section of town.” Akurei listened while she ate. Itachi had a low, droning voice. It was nice to hear so many words at once, too. “I tried to find an apartment that wasn’t too busy, near the edge of town. The forest isn’t far. No one will enter this apartment but me. There is one other room, with a kitchen. I can stay here, or I can stay with my family.” Akurei had been listening to the sound of his voice so intently that she only half-understood the words. She blinked hard once, trying to come out of her trance.

“So then… what are we doing today?” She made sure not to speak with food in her mouth.

“Getting you situated. I can show you around, show you how to get to my house if you need to. I have a little brother, a little younger than you. His name is Sasuke. Would you like to meet him?”

“Not particularly,” Akurei had never had much luck with meeting new kids. Or people in general. Itachi only smirked at her.

“You two will have to meet sooner or later. He’s pretty jealous that I’ll be spending so much time training with you. But he doesn’t understand how hard this training will be. He might not feel the same if he knew that even most adults can’t handle it. He might even feel sorry for you!” Itachi chuckled, standing. Akurei finished her last onigiri. “I’m going for a walk. I think I’ll stop by my house first. Sasuke might want to join me.” He walked towards the door. Akurei stayed still. “I’ll come retrieve you before dawn, if I don’t see you sooner.” He left her small room. She heard him leaving the apartment door, and locking it behind him.

Akurei jumped up, following his path to the main room. It wasn’t very big, but it did have a kitchen and a table. She went back into her room, pulled open the curtains, and opened the small window. It was late afternoon, and her apartment was high up, maybe the third or fourth floor. A lot of dark-haired people were crowded into street-facing restaurants for dinner. The noise from the crowd was surprisingly normal, but the feel was not. In a minute, Itachi had appeared in the street below her.

She swung her legs out the window, waiting for a good time to jump down and follow him, but hesitated. The chakra around her was frighteningly powerful. And fire. It was all fire. An image of jumping down into a furnace flashed through her head. But of course the fire-based chakra wasn’t actually hot, not unless someone was actively attacking with it.

Itachi had gotten farther away than she had planned while she stalled. She would look very odd down there in the crowd, the only one with silver-white hair in a sea of black. There wasn’t really a way she could blend in. If she stayed on the rooftops, someone might notice her stealth attempt and think they were under attack. But going down there might mean losing sight of Itachi. She was too short to see over anyone if she lost him, and following his chakra was going to be hard with this much interference. She decided to be safe, and stay up high. Kakashi would have told her she was made for stealth, she thought as she climbed up her building instead of down. She got a good grip with her chakra focused at her feet and ran straight up, careful not to fall into any open windows or make too much noise. A light step was something easily accomplished from a small person.

Akurei was glad that it was getting late. The sun going down meant no one would notice her tiny shadow on the roofs. She stayed low, careful not to raise suspicion, as she quickly caught up to Itachi. She followed him down the main street, and into a street that branched off of it. Judging by how many huge houses were on this road, she guessed it was where the important Uchiha lived. Itachi’s father was the leader of the clan, now that she thought about it.

Itachi entered one of the fancy houses. Akurei waited on the roof of the house across the street. It had good visibility of his house, in case he decided to leave through a side or back door. She watched carefully where the lights in the house turned on, trying to track which room was his, but there were other people in the house. There was no way to be certain who was in what room. If she had an emergency, she could always scale the walls and search for his chakra, hopefully not freaking out his family in the process.

While she mused about scaring poor little Sasuke in the middle of the night, Itachi came back out of his front door. There was a small child with him, undoubtedly his little brother. She could tell he was younger than her, but he was probably the same size or larger. That was no surprise. Itachi was smiling as he walked, Sasuke trotting along beside him. The kid was full of admiration; she didn’t even have to feel his chakra to tell that.

She followed them from above, making sure to not get lost in this uncharted part of town. She looked behind again, remembering the path back to her new apartment. The two wandered at a leisurely pace, giving Akurei plenty of time to look around. On top of a higher building, she could see all of Konoha. The sun was setting, casting a pale orange glow and dark shadows. She looked as far as she could, trying to find her house. She was too far away to pinpoint the home she was to give up, but she thought she could recognize the street by the shape of the shops nearby. She could leave now, and go back. Would they let her? Would she be expected to go back to the academy if she ran away? This was her chance to finally catch up to her genius brother. She wouldn’t throw it away. No, she would wait for him to come back, and use his opportunity to become stronger for both of them.

Sasuke was talking about something, but Itachi wasn’t fully paying attention. It was the silly ranting of a child, something easy to fake an interest in. Usually Itachi would have humored his adored younger brother, but tonight he was focusing on his new student. He had given her one more chance to make up her mind. She could come down and walk with them, run away, stay at the apartment and think, or do what he had expected her to. She was cautious for one so young, probably a trait picked up from her brother.

He had shown her the quickest path to his house, in case she needed him. And now he was introducing her to his little brother, similar to how one introduces two wary canines by giving them the other’s scent first. The thought amused him.

The brothers were passing a restaurant when Itachi noticed him leaving. Inabi, a new member of the Konoha Police Force, did not look happy. His eyes were dark red, alert. He looked up through his long black hair, and reached into his kunai bag as he crouched down and readied to pursue. He had noticed Akurei on the rooftops.

“It’s ok, Inabi.” Itachi held his hand up, signaling him to stand down. Inabi stood up straight, a confused look on his face.

“Itachi. Someone is following you,” Inabi still had his hand in his kunai bag. Sasuke stepped closer to his brother.

“She’s my new student. Leave her be.” Itachi said calmly. Inabi still looked confused, but released the kunai back into his bag.

“Why is your new student stalking you…?” The comment both annoyed Itachi and made him smirk. Inabi should have shown him more respect, as his position within the clan was higher. But he spoke to him as if he were lesser simply because he had been appointed to the Police Force. As if that ranked higher than ANBU.

“Because I am letting her stalk me. Why else?” Itachi said curtly. Inabi did not look satisfied by his answer, but he left after giving one more irritated look. The brothers continued on their way as one by one, every open shop and restaurant lit their front lights against the setting sun. Itachi hoped that Inabi’s sudden threatening chakra had not scared Akurei, but she hadn’t done anything foolish like run or attack. In fact she was quite well-hidden, considering the elevated potential danger.

“Nii-san, why are you letting her follow us? What if she attacks us?” Sasuke mustered up the courage to ask. Itachi only laughed

“Sasuke, you really think I’d let anything happen to you?” He messed his little brother’s hair, receiving a grumpy growl in response. “I’m her sensei now. We’re just showing her around our part of the town tonight, she’s never been in Uchiha territory. She’s new here, and very… shy. You should be nice to her when you meet her. Ok?” Sasuke returned his brother’s smile with another groan, but Itachi knew he would comply with his wishes.

“Why is she hiding?” Itachi could tell he was having trouble figuring her out. Maybe he didn’t want to figure her out, because that meant accepting her.

“I told you, she is shy. She needs to check things out on her own,”

“Is she scared?”

“Who knows?”

“Why are you the one training her? Couldn’t they have found someone else?” Sasuke looked up at Itachi, already knowing the answer.

“I requested to become her sensei, Sasuke-kun. I pretty much had to fight Ibiki-san for her.” Itachi joked. “She has some interesting traits. She could be very useful in the black ops. I will begin her training, and Ibiki-san will assist once she is acclimated to the rigorous instruction. She is so young that Ibiki-san agreed to let me have her first. Her techniques need to be honed a little before he can shape them into something interrogation-worthy,” Itachi realized he was probably telling Sasuke more than he needed to know, and not in a very clear manner. Sasuke just looked at him as puzzled as Inabi had. Itachi sighed. “Well, we’ve wandered around enough for tonight, don’t you think? It’s getting late. Let’s go home.” Sasuke did not protest as they turned around and headed home. He was visibly getting tired, and a little cranky now that the topic of conversation was someone who would be taking Itachi from him.

Above them, Akurei listened. It was difficult to hear every word against the background noise of the street, but she tried to tune it out. Itachi’s voice was so low that his words were almost inaudible from so far away, but she could get the gist of what he was saying. He had stopped another Uchiha from attacking her. When she first felt the threatening chakra of Inabi, she had been scared, too scared for a split second to move. But then she felt a rush she couldn’t explain hit her like a wave. She was hidden; she had stayed hidden from so many. But one had noticed her, and she almost had to pay for that slip-up with a fight she surely could not win. But the rush was still there, anticipation. She had wanted to fight.

Akurei stopped to think. That didn’t make sense. Why on earth did she want to fight against someone so much more powerful than herself, on a busy street where she was cripplingly outnumbered? The feel of explosive chakra all around her may have influenced that. And with her focus on Inabi, she had just adopted his hot-headed energy. She leaned back, trying to calm herself, glad she hadn’t done anything stupid. But she had definitely done something without realizing it. She felt her own chakra flow was different, faster, more agitated. Just like Inabi’s had been when he sensed her. Her own chakra had picked up on his and reacted. She would have to be more careful not to get carried away by someone else’s emotions.

By the time she had finished working through this potential issue, Itachi and his brother had left. The sun had now completely set. She backtracked through the shadows until she was at their big house, and quickly tried to feel for Itachi’s chakra. Again, she could feel a lot of fire-based power, but nothing from Itachi. Maybe he had gone to her apartment before her.

The route to her new home wasn’t far, and she scaled down the side of the apartment building and back to her open window. Itachi wasn’t here either. She searched the two small rooms for something to do until she could sleep. But she had been asleep all day, and the burning chakra from the other residents around her, in the next room, in the ceiling, beneath her… She couldn’t get calm enough to feel tired, and every time she managed to block out the fiery chakra, the noises of people behind the walls would startle her into remembering. It was nothing like the empty house, with only Kakashi’s calming aura near her. This place was chaotic.

After an hour of trying to calm herself with no results, Akurei went back to the window. Itachi said the forest wasn’t far. She could see it if she climbed back to the roof; it was directly behind her building. She traveled out as far as she could in the cool night air, until the fire was far enough away. The serene forest was a nice change. She sat down next to a tiny stream and listened to the water, the wind rustling the leaves of the trees, the occasional owl or small animal passing by. These sounds were much better than the sporadic thumping, talking, coughing, scraping, slamming noises of her apartment. But nothing was as comforting as her own brother’s chakra. She wondered where he was sleeping now, if he was this restless without her around. But then again, she was special. Not everyone sensed chakra like she did. Maybe he didn’t care what chakra was around him when he slept. Most people probably never considered it. That’s why they can live stacked up so closely in buildings like that. She’d have to learn to ignore it sooner or later. She sighed.

Akurei tried to clear her mind and meditate, but thoughts buzzed around like annoying bugs. Thoughts she did not want to indulge, mostly about Kakashi. She tried to think about the future instead, but her mind always went back to how Kakashi would be in it, or possibly not be in it. Alright, she though, let’s think about the not-too-distant future. She would begin training tomorrow, training that could accelerate her right through the entire academy. She had already proven her intelligence was much higher than average, she was in the top percentage of students already. And now she could train her body to be greater too. Itachi could appoint her the title of Genin without any more absurd hoops to jump through. If she were to become an ANBU or a member of the Torture and Interrogation Force, she would never need a training team, either. She would work with other ANBU, of course, but she could skip being assigned to a team of three Genin and one Jounin, skip having to go on menial tasks and insignificant missions. Not even Kakashi could brag about that.

Another hour had passed, and still her mind was racing. She had managed to calm her chakra flow, but not her thoughts. She did not feel remotely tired. She sat still next to the stream, and tried to focus on nothing but the distant hooting of a lone owl. The silence in between each of its calls she tried to keep as silence in her mind. But her forced meditation wasn’t going so well. She felt a disturbance in the stillness of the nature, something subtle and unimposing.

“Want to start early?” Itachi spoke softly, a few paces behind her. He was suppressing his chakra, but not entirely. His chakra was gentle and calm, like the rest of the air around Akurei. He must not have wanted to disturb her apparent meditation or startle her by cloaking himself. If only slowing her thoughts was that easy.

Akurei didn’t move. She kept her eyes closed, wondering how Itachi knew where she was and how long he had known. On light footsteps he approached her, and sat down next to her by the tiny stream. He was sitting closer than she would have liked. Akurei fought the instinct to scoot away, not wanting to appear weak.

But he was close enough that Akurei could feel their chakra overlapping. Maybe he had done that on purpose. She decided to investigate. His chakra was calming. It rolled around him like lazy clouds, something Akurei had only witnessed when someone was sleeping. He was good at controlling it, very good. He was right-handed, judging from the direction of the leisurely flow. On the outside everything appeared normal. Akurei tried not to be annoyed at the fact that he had surpassed her meditation within seconds, and she had been trying for hours.

She decided to test the waters. If he was as good at chakra control as he seemed, he would probably be startled when she attempted to penetrate the flow. Most people wouldn’t notice, not if she did it with only a small amount of her own chakra. But for someone with such perfect control of himself, she knew he would feel it. She just hoped he didn’t get offended.

The instant she tried to push her own chakra into his, she knew something was wrong. Underneath those tranquil clouds was something fiercely spinning at his core. The strangest part was it was going the opposite direction of the clouds. He was using some sort of ninjutsu. Akurei didn’t take the time to find out what.

The second she had forced her way in, he had been alerted. She jumped up, hopping across the stream to put some distance between them, but he was on his feet even faster than she was. She pulled her own chakra back defensively, not wanting to stay touching his any longer. He chuckled, a deep, throaty laugh, and it did not sound like the Uchiha who had promised to take care of her. Was it someone else? Akurei felt horrible, but she was not certain that the man before her was even Itachi. She had only just met him, and it was now quite dark. All of the Uchiha looked the same in the dark, with the same black hair. His chakra had felt similar to the Itachi she met earlier, but now she wasn’t sure. The chakra rapidly spinning at his core had not been, but she had also never felt deeper than his surface chakra. Experienced ninja like Itachi often had many layers, the surface being the easiest to control. One could only cloak their true intentions using the surface chakra.

What about the man who had noticed her, who Itachi had stopped from pursuing her? His hair was long, too. That was about the only feature she could make out in the darkness: long black hair. But why would he be after her? Was Itachi just starting her training early, like he suggested? She could not make sense of the situation.

Finally her foe took pity on the confused child, and in a puff of smoke was someone else. Not an Uchiha at all, he was an absolute giant in comparison to Akurei. He wore a long black jacket, and his forehead protector covered entirely a bald head. He was grinning at her, his smile reaching all the way to his eyes. His jaw line was strong and square. He looked like he could break her in half with one hand.

“Hatake Akurei! You’ve impressed me. Only a skilled sensory-type could have seen through my jutsu so quickly. That or a Hyuuga…” The giant man looked immensely pleased.

“You’re Morino Ibiki. Itachi said you wouldn’t be teaching me for a few months…” Akurei narrowed her eyes, still a little confused.

“That’s Itachi- _sensei_. I’d respect my teachers if I were you, if you want them to keep teaching you,” Within the giant man’s chakra was a flicker of a threat. It was no longer cloud-like and gentle; it had taken an entirely different feel. Now it felt… ready, she could tell even from a distance. Maybe even eager. That could be bad for her, if she slipped up again.

“Forgive me, Ibiki-sensei. You just caught me off-guard…” Akurei bowed, feeling slightly guilty. Of course she should give them proper respect; they would soon be going out of their way to help her. Or scare her, as this man seemed to want to do. But her response seemed to appease him.

“There is nothing to forgive. Itachi is right, but I wanted to see you for myself before I begin training you. We at the Torture and Interrogation force get pretty excited when we hear of a young sensory-type growing up in the village. Take your training with Itachi seriously, you never know when I might want to observe… or maybe even intervene…” He chuckled again, and the sound was a little menacing. There was something mildly sadistic about this man, and Akurei wasn’t sure if she should be worried. “Watching your progress should be fun… Until next time,” He gave her a lazy salute and vanished. Akurei decided she would go back to the chaotic apartment after all.


	4. Training

“No, Akurei, make your chakra thinner. Any skilled opponent will notice that.” Itachi said, watching her with his sharingan. He was a good choice for her sensei, for only someone with one of the san daidojutsu could see her chakra as a physical manifestation. His eyes amazed her; even though she knew that there were plenty of Uchiha with similar abilities, he was the first person she had ever met who could see and appreciate her subtle techniques.

She was practicing infiltrating and disposing of a shadow clone. She would move on to infiltrating and incapacitating people, but people were much trickier. A well-trained shinobi could feel her presence and reject her; a shadow clone could not, if she got it right. One good stab at the chakra system of a clone, and taking it over would mean it would be immediately destroyed, out of control of the owner.

For now, the second Itachi was standing still, about twenty-five meters away. Most sensory types could do just that: sense. But Akurei was better than that, Itachi said. Her chakra looked remarkable. He tried to explain it to her. Most shinobi were enveloped with their power. It came from their core and covered their body, spreading out as a whole when more was released. Some with great control, like the Hyuuga, could project their chakra further, and some could use special blades to shape the chakra into an even bigger blade. But not many had such a unique flow as Akurei’s. No chakra enveloped her body, instead it undulated from her core in long tendrils. Her chakra wisps were attracted to any and all chakra systems around her, and danced at the edges, feeling. The fact that this was all done instinctively fascinated Itachi.

When she had asked if it was a dangerous thing, to not have a normal defensive layer of chakra, Itachi had only shrugged. Layer or no layer, a blade could cut you in half. That layer meant nothing for defense, unless it was used as a defense against her infiltration. Her own best defense was targeting an opponent before any attacks could be made against her.

“It’s hard when I can’t see what I’m doing…” She mumbled, failing again to dispose of Itachi’s clone.

“You don’t need to see it. You can feel it. If you want to fool those who rely on sight, make your chakra thinner than a strand of hair. They’ll never notice you until it’s too late,” Akurei tried, but she had no clue how thin or thick her “tendrils” were anyway. She had never known what shape her chakra took, only that she could sense chakra well, and even better if that chakra was similar to her own, like Kakashi’s. She could locate a lightning-based user easily, it was like a magnet, even at a longer range than she was used to. But none she could seek as clearly as her brother. He must have been very far away. Already a week had passed, half of the time he had promised.

“Focus, Akurei!” Itachi snapped her back into reality.

“Sorry, sensei…” She readied her chakra again. Itachi had told her to try and force a small amount outward toward her opponent quickly, like throwing a kunai. Her goal was to focus down all of her tendrils into hair-thin needles, but first she had to figure out how to compress it, and speed was one way to do that.

Another whip, and another failed attempt; she could tell by the fact that his clone had not disappeared. This practice would look strange to someone without a sharingan, Akurei mused. She was getting worn down, and she had barely moved for the past hour.

“Try pulling your chakra back inside you, and releasing a smaller amount. You’re being wasteful. That is a fatal mistake for one with such little chakra to begin with,” Itachi said with a cautious tone. One thing she had learned from Itachi’s sharingan was that her chakra levels were far below normal. She was made for control and stealth. Too much chakra could also give away her position to other sensory-types, so she needed to learn how to fully extinguish her chakra and recall it on command.

Akurei focused on pulling her chakra in, which was harder to do than it was in theory. It had always been out, searching, feeling, and now she had to figure out how to pinpoint each tendril and reel them back in. She’d be feeling nothing from her surroundings if that occurred.

“How… how many are there?” Akurei felt silly for not knowing, but Itachi did not seem bothered by the inquiry.

“Twenty-three.” He responded quickly. “You are feeling tired already, and that is why. When you concentrate on my clone, you only need one to infiltrate. Having one on your target, and a few more checking your surroundings seems to be optimal, depending on the threat level. You do not need twenty-three.” Itachi’s voice was deep, and although his tone was not scolding Akurei could not help but feel slightly guilty. “You may not be able to feel it yet, but you have too many focusing on him. Those are pointless. One should suffice for now. When you are apt enough at controlling each tendril, we will work on infiltration from multiple angles. But for now, try to focus on one. Go ahead, pull them all in.”

Akurei did as she was told, or tried to. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t feel twenty-three separate chakra strands. She couldn’t help but wonder what her attempt to control them all must look like to Itachi. She took a deep breath, and closed her eyes to get rid of visual distractions. If she were to pull in her chakra, she really would be blind. She had no idea how far each went, but she knew it was a good distance. She could sense every single person in her apartment building, and then some on the streets. She could have probably sensed Kakashi the moment he set foot in the Uchiha zone. But why the disparity?

She tried again, but couldn’t even manage to count one. How could she pull them back if she didn’t know where they were? Suddenly Itachi took a step towards her.

“May I try something?” He asked, stopping a few feet from her. Akurei looked at him inquisitively. “Maybe I can help you to better feel your own chakra. You have some good instincts, but you won’t reach your full potential until you have complete control. If there is foreign chakra in your system, perhaps it will… stand out. I will give you my chakra, and you will try manipulating it alongside yours. Use it in your chakra arms, and see how far they go,” Itachi’s chakra was getting stronger, less calm. He was purposefully releasing it around him, giving up control.

“What makes you think I can do that…? Take your chakra…?” Akurei asked.

“It is not unheard of. There are weapons that can suck up an enemy’s chakra. You can disrupt the flow in your enemy’s system, and soon will be able to infiltrate it unnoticed. Isn’t stealing their power the next logical step?” Itachi smiled as if it were common sense. “Especially if I am completely open, unguarded. Simple, right?” Akurei thought about this. She had never thought to take the chakra from another, only to incapacitate them with her own. But it did seem logical, she admitted, given how small her natural chakra reserve was.

She focused on Itachi as his clone disappeared. His eyes were not watching her, but rather around her. She sensed no fear from him that she was about to attempt something new and unpredictable, instead he felt almost eager. He was excited to see what she was capable of doing, she could tell. He wasn’t hiding any of his emotions from her like this.

His chakra was fire-based, like she expected. But there was something else, something flowing and gentle. He had mastered two elements. Neither matched Akurei’s lightning. She wondered if that would matter. She tried to grab onto his rapidly releasing chakra, to catch it before it dissipated.

Itachi watched each of the tendrils waving around him, brushing against the chakra he was throwing away, testing it. Almost all of them were focused on him, a few flicking the air behind her, instinctively searching. Her chakra was a gorgeous dark blue. It almost looked like the jagged legs of a spider contemplating what to do with its prey; they were reaching around him, feeling from every angle. If she had had more control, it may have even been frightening. But this spider had no bite, not yet anyway.

The tendrils felt quite uncomfortable the closer they got. Akurei had closed her eyes in concentration. Her chakra was lightning-based. This knowledge was solidified by the increasingly numbing sensation he felt as her chakra punctured his. The part of him that was coming to regret suggesting this was overshadowed by the part of him that wanted to see how far she would go.

Akurei felt something hook. Itachi looked quite uncomfortable, but he did not tell her to stop. Suddenly she felt it, she felt herself pulling his chakra away. It did not come straight to her; instead it followed the wavy path of one of her chakra arms. His nature did not synchronize with hers at all, and it felt extremely abnormal as it winded through the tendril. So she had found one. Twenty-two to go.

When his chakra reached her core, she felt a surge in power. She kept taking; it was not enough yet to incorporate entirely into her flow. One, two more tendrils penetrated his chakra. Akurei felt such a rush, despite the unfamiliarity of his fire. It was her fire now. Three, four, five more had sunken into his veil. A few more and almost none of his chakra was going to waste; she was taking it all before it was released into the air.

Itachi took an unnoticed step back. Her chakra wasn’t blue anymore; it had taken on the dark crimson appearance of his, but retained the jagged lighting shape. A few of her chakra arms had wrapped themselves around his body, and instead of taking what he was offering, started to suck the chakra from deep within him. He was startled to find that he could no longer feel his body, everything was numb.

“You lied, Itachi-sensei,” Akurei opened her eyes, “There are only twenty-two…”

Itachi let out a weak laugh, a sudden dizzy feeling forcing him to drop to his knees.

“I did… Looks like you figured it out. You can stop now…” Before he had finished his sentence the tendrils pulled back. Akurei seemed to be able to feel their location now. Itachi sat down, closing his eyes and waiting for the dizziness to pass. She had taken a lot more of his chakra than he had expected, and it would take a few moments to get back a natural flow. She had managed to completely disrupt it when she released him. He still could not feel his body, so he tried not to move. Not being able to feel anything was proving problematic in trying to regulate and sustain his flow.

When he opened his eyes he was staring up through the trees, at the sky. Akurei was sitting next to where his head lie on the ground, her eyes closed. He looked for the tendrils, but saw nothing. Either she had managed to conceal them completely, or his sharingan had deactivated itself. He was betting on the latter. He tried to sit up, but his body was stiff and numb.

“We’re taking a break, sensei.” Akurei spoke, and he sighed. He stopped trying to move. At least they had both learned something very valuable. It was then that Itachi noticed how tired Akurei looked. She was out of breath, her silvery white hair matted to her face with sweat. One look at the trees around them and he saw why. Just about every tree he could see from on his back was smoldering and black in places, as if they had been struck by lightning. Some were bent or missing branches. Akurei must not have known what to do with all of the chakra she took from him. Itachi laughed.

“Did you do all of that on purpose?”

“Not… exactly…” So she could steal chakra, but not control it. They still had a long way to go. Itachi tried again to sit up, and Akurei grabbed his arm to help steady him. There were no trees close enough to lean against, so Akurei crawled behind him and pushed her back against his to help keep him sitting.

“That lightning of yours is dangerous. I can’t even feel my own chakra anymore,” Despite being so exhausted, Itachi was overjoyed. He really had not misjudged the potential of this girl’s abilities. Akurei opened her mouth to speak, and Itachi felt her confidence waning. “Don’t even think of apologizing. You did exactly what I told you to do, and even surpassed my expectations. You should be proud.” Itachi could feel her giggle against his back. She had taken down her sensei pretty fast, but he wouldn’t let that happen again. Now that she had a grasp on her powers, he wouldn’t have to give her another opportunity, she could make her own.

Itachi felt like he was going to crush her at any moment, but she didn’t complain. She was pushing herself up with her legs, leaning her chest against her knees for support. Her small frame didn’t offer much stabilization, but it was better than nothing and made her feel useful. He was just pondering ways to help bulk her up, perhaps he’d have to start making her dinner with lots of meat, when she timidly spoke.

“You said that my chakra was… different. What does a sensory-type’s chakra normally look like?”

“Mist. Like pretty, useless mist.” Itachi sighed. He hoped that he could explain it to her in a way that made her realize how extraordinary her chakra was.

“That sounds… unavoidable. Wouldn’t it be easy for someone to stay away from my chakra strands…? If they knew where they were, couldn’t they just… dodge?” Her confidence was not nearly as good as her ability.

“It would take an elite shinobi to even come close. You have already mastered the lightning element; it is obvious to those who can see. Your chakra is strongly attracted to other chakra, and can be faster than any human can move. The only way someone could bypass that is the same way someone could bypass a mist of chakra; they would have to completely extinguish their power. Stop thinking of your skill as a hindrance. It is a blessing.” Itachi inhaled deeply, taking command of his senses again, slowly regaining feeling in his body. She would understand soon how useful she was.

It happened suddenly, but subtly. A tiny jolt only noticeable because Itachi had no immediate chakra source left. Sure, he could have dug up some if he tried looking, but there was no need. His own chakra started flowing again, but it felt a bit off. It wasn’t entirely his.

“So you can give chakra as well as take it? Interesting… However, you might want to be careful about doing that. You had a very difficult time controlling my chakra. Someone not expecting such a generous donation might not be able to handle it…” Although he could not see her, he knew Akurei was quite pleased with herself. She had made a lot of progress today. Itachi tried to ignore the unnatural feeling of gentle electricity running through him. Thankfully she had only forced on him a very small amount, and it seemed to be waking up his own chakra. The last thing he planned on doing was losing control of her power and looking bad in front of his student twice in one day, so he concentrated to make sure it stayed calm as the fire slowly flushed it out.

Itachi activated his sharingan, curious to see if she had been able to pull back any of the tendrils. He leaned back on her, further crushing her, and tried to look over her shoulder upside-down. He counted thirteen dark blue wisps this time. Better than twenty-two. They were still about as thick as his forearm in places, much too wasteful. Some were slightly thinner, but not consistently so. They reached out even farther than they had before, so far that he could not tell where they ended. Sometimes they would ripple slowly and look like dark blue pieces of ocean, other times they would abruptly jerk to an unseen location, alert, and then settle back into a slow undulation. He wondered what it felt like, what she was noticing so far away. Her body language revealed nothing.

Itachi leaned forward, getting ready to stand. He felt normal again, like having almost all of his chakra ripped from him was only a dream. On his feet, Itachi saw the true extend of the damage she had done after he blacked out. The entire clearing looked like a terrible battle had taken place. A lot of the trees had been so badly damaged that they could no longer stand tall, and had crashed to the ground where leaves and countless branches were scattered about. There were even a few small fires on the verge of burning out. If only the shock of her thievery had not caused him to faint, he thought. He would have liked to observe how she handled that situation.

“Bit off a bit more than you could chew, eh?” Itachi could only laugh. Akurei grinned, not letting the setback affect her. “Let’s call it a day. I promised Sasuke I would train with him tonight.” Itachi turned and started walking towards the town and out of the devastated clearing, Akurei obediently following. She still hadn’t agreed to formally meet Sasuke, but he knew she was watching them when they practiced together. She would reveal herself when she was ready. Maybe the two could even be close someday, Itachi thought. Maybe.


	5. Interrogation

He hadn’t done anything but gotten caught in the wrong place at the wrong time, he thought as he was thrown roughly to the ground before a man twice his size. The obscenely pleased look on his face was terrifying, like a snake being served an injured mouse on a silver platter. The two men who had dragged him here to this large cement room were all sorts of odd; neither spoke, and neither seemingly could see. One had short brown hair with long bangs, his eyes concealed by his forehead protector and hair, and the other had taijutsu bands covering almost all of his head, including his eyes. It was unsettling.

They stood on either side of him, hands behind their backs, silent. He was on his hands and knees, looking up at this huge man with a black jacket, paralyzed with fear. Running was futile, as was trying to fight his way out.

“I didn’t do anything! I don’t know anything-“ The large man cut him off, speaking over his pleas, his voice boomingly forceful.

“You will only speak when spoken to, and answer questions accurately and swiftly. Do you understand?” The grin hadn’t left his face. He was eager to be opposed.

“I didn’t mean to come here, I swear! I, I got lost!” He was panicking. The man grunted a laugh.

“We can do this the easy way, or the fun way. I implore you to keep talking; it’s so much more enjoyable with pain,” The man’s voice was so deep it almost rumbled. Or perhaps that was just his own body trembling in fear. “Good, now that that’s out of the way. First we’ll start with your name. Who are you?”

“Yamamoto Tetsuo… I…” He blanked, trying to think of something to say that wouldn’t give this man the opportunity he was seeking to hurt him.

“You can start by telling me why you and your comrades were snooping around Fire territory-“

“We were fleeing the Mist!” In a split second the man had kicked Tetsuo across the face, knocking him into the far wall. The man with the bandaged face dodged his flying body with ease. Tetsuo struggled to his hands and knees, spitting blood and a piece of tooth on the ground.

“You are a bad liar, Tetsuo.” The giant man waved a finger in front of his face in a comically scolding manner. “Looks like this is going to be fun, after all.” Suddenly a barrage of kunai was sent towards the large man. He unflinchingly let his companions take care of them. Tetsuo ran for the only door in the room, but the man with brown hair was on top of him before he made it more than a few steps. “That was a very silly move, Tetsuo. Do you want to die? You should be aware by now that we aren’t executioners. A quick death does not await you like it did your friends,” Tetsuo thought back to his companions. His back molar, which had contained a cyanide pill, had been pulled from his mouth before he could bite the pill loose. They were skilled at capturing spies alive.

“I told you, we were trying to get away! They just… They panicked. They did what they were trained to do!” His voice was shrill and frantic.

“He’s telling the truth, Ibiki-sensei. They were only trying to get away. From you.” A female voice, young, but not the cheerful sound of youth. Her voice was flat and emotionless, and echoed throughout the room. Tetsuo looked around the large dark space, but could see no child, no creeping shadows in the corners. Why would a child be with the black ops? No one even acknowledged the voice. What was going on?

“This is getting us nowhere. I tried the humane way. _Kuchiyose no Jutsu! Goman Heya!_ ” His two companions silently took a few steps back. Suddenly wire-thin metal chains came from nowhere, wrapping around Tetsuo’s arms, legs, and torso. Four metal gates shot up from the earth, boxing Tetsuo in with the terrifying man as the top shut, a Fukusuke statue wrapped in chains sitting happily above them. Tetsuo hung a few inches off of the ground, or where the ground used to be. Now there were gears below his feet. The thin wire-like chains pulled his arms out to the side, pulled his legs apart and down. Already he felt like he was being slowly yanked apart. He tried not to scream out in surprise as the wires dug into his flesh.

“This time when I ask questions, your responses will be truthful. Or else this happens,” The giant man had scars on his face, long jagged ones, Tetsuo noticed now that they were so close. Suddenly the thin chains around him tightened. Blood trickled from his bare arms, where the chains sliced the skin right open. His legs and torso were spared thanks to his clothes. His limbs felt like they were being slowly pulled out, right from their sockets. The more he tensed his muscles to try and keep his limbs closer, the harder the chains pulled, the deeper into his arms they cut. “You were fleeing nothing. Your companions killed themselves at the sight of me, and you tried to. That doesn’t sound like something a refugee would do. So tell me why you came.” The entire time he spoke, the chains were getting tighter. The pressure on his chest and stomach was making it hard to draw in a breath.

“Alright!” He gasped, trying hard not to hyperventilate from the panic. “The Mist sent us… It was simple… reconnaissance… We were not… to infiltrate… only to… observe…” His voice was broken and harsh as he tried to keep from yelling out in pain. From his shoulders all the way to his fingers was rapidly being streaked by his own blood as the gears below him wailed.

“Good, good. You’re catching on. Observe what, exactly?” The gears did not stop. Through the corner of his eye he tried to look at his left arm. He couldn’t see the chains anymore, they were too deep inside the gashes.

“Activity… Anything… Trade… Supplies… Stop! I’m talking, why won’t you stop!!” He screamed.

“He lies.” The girl’s voice again. He looked away from his mangled arm, and he saw her. She was inside the cage with them, hanging from the ceiling above the torturer’s right shoulder. A long chain was draped and she sat on it like a swing. She was so small, she couldn’t have been more than four or five. What was she doing inside this thing??

She didn’t move; he never saw her mouth move when she spoke. Her short hair was stark white and barely touched her shoulders. She looked more like a ghost than a real child. She stared at him with dull, cold gray eyes. All of a sudden a high-pitched shriek filled the air, distorting his vision. It sounded like the gears below him, but it also sounded human. The child had not moved. His torturer had not moved. The sound dropped suddenly into a deep, terrible droning noise as the gears grinded to a halt. It felt as if time had stopped entirely.

The child was there, then she was on the ground, standing on the gears next to the giant man. Her image flashed, she did not move. She seemed to blink in and out of existence. The man was frozen, as if time really had stopped. He made no noise, he did not breathe. The gears were motionless too. Tetsuo could see nothing outside of the cage but darkness. What was going on? The child was distorting his vision, clouding his thoughts. Or was she even there? He wasn’t sure anymore if her voice was real or in his head. Was this an illusion caused by the torturer himself? Or maybe she was a part of the summon? He wanted to ask, to talk to the child, but he couldn’t. She only stared at him with those piercing, expressionless eyes.

The tiny demon girl slowly put her hand up to her face, placing her index finger to her lips, as if to silence him. Silence him from what? It was then that he realized the noise he had thought was the gears was his own voice. Reality hit him hard, his own screams filling the air. The torturer only grinned as Tetsuo’s middle finger on his right hand was ripped off, leaving a stub of bone up to his first knuckle, about an inch long sticking out from the gore. He couldn’t keep it in, he couldn’t stop screaming. The gears continued to growl, the chains kept pulling. Soon he would be ripped apart.

“Amegakure!” He yelled, shutting his eyes hard, trying in vain to block everything out.

“It is truth,” The ghost spoke, her voice but an echo.

“I knew you’d figure out the game. It’s not difficult to learn. Keep going.” The man’s satisfaction was endless. Still he did not even seem to notice the tiny child at his side. Tetsuo was starting to wonder which of them was the real torturer. His fear spiked as the girl took a small step towards him, her eyes becoming inquisitive. Was she waiting for him to speak? Was she the one who was removing his fingers? If he slipped up now, she might distort his mind again. When he woke from the illusion, he might be missing more than a finger.

“Hanzo…” The girl didn’t move. He was appeasing the monster. But at what cost? The chains had paused, but they were getting tighter again. “Wait! I… I’m not done… He…” He paused, she was gone. The girl wasn’t on the ground anymore. Tetsuo looked up at the man’s scarred face, and saw her sitting on his shoulder. He had not moved. Did he notice? Could he see her? He didn’t shift at all, as if she were weightless. There was no way she was real.

“Faster, or the entire hand is next.” The man warned.

“He wants to know… Konoha’s strength.” The girl cocked her head to the side, reading him. He had made a mistake. “He wants to attack!” The girl slowly shook her head.

“What a massive liar you’ve become! And here I thought you finally understood the game. I sure hope you aren’t right-handed!” The chains were so deep into his flesh that blood was pouring into the gears beneath him. As the pulled, the slid like a saw across the very bone of his wrist.

“Stop!! Please!!” Tears were running down his face. “We were to meet… meet someone! I don’t know who! We were… to receive further instruction… ” His voice was tumultuous as he tried not to scream again. He couldn’t move, he couldn’t pull his limbs free. He would slowly lose pieces of himself, not being given the chance to die. He looked up at the girl sitting on the torturer’s broad shoulder. She smiled. It was peaceful.

“That’s all we wanted, Tetsuo. Oh, right, that isn’t your name, is it? No matter. You are merely a pawn. Clearly the weakest link in that group, couldn’t even manage to properly kill yourself!” The man gave a deep chuckle as the chains released so abruptly the man known as Tetsuo didn’t have a chance to shield himself from the fall, and landed face-first on the ground. He lie motionless, spread-eagle on the ground as the chains slid out from under his skin and disappeared, leaving streaks of crimson across the floor. The cage dismantled and buried itself back into the ground, leaving Tetsuo crumpled on the concrete of the huge room, in a puddle of his own sticky blood. He tried to cradle his arms against his chest. Neither of his hands would move. Perhaps his tendons had been severed. He could see the two blind-looking ninja again, standing near the door.

The torturer turned around, and walked out the door. The ghost-child was still on his shoulder. She turned around and watched him as the thick metal door was closed, and Tetsuo was left in the darkness alone.

  
  


  
  


It had been over eight months, Akurei thought as Ibiki walked down the dark, winding hallway, Tonbo and Shimon right behind him. Eight months since she began training with Ibiki, being allowed to sit in on interrogations at first, and working her way up to assisting. One year in total, since she began working with Itachi. Kakashi still had not returned.

“Good work, Rei. You’re a creepy kid, I like it. He really thought you were a ghost. You made him scream before I did!” Ibiki laughed heartily. “How did you do that, it was like a genjutsu, but wasn’t. He was totally out of it. I never taught you that!”

“He was scared; he didn’t even notice me replace all of his chakra with my own. I didn’t have to use genjutsu. He let me in his head. All I had to do was stop the chakra flow periodically, slow it, speed it up, turn it into chaos. It is rather easy to control emotions, when one is under such stress.” Akurei spoke, staring into space. Her mind was focused on other things, so she allowed herself to rant. Plus she was rather fond of Ibiki. He was easy to talk to, and always impressed by any new methods she devised without him.

“Wait, how did you read his chakra, if you replaced it all? You weren’t making things up in there, were you? Shit, we’ve made a terrible mistake! We tortured a refugee!” Akurei laughed. She knew Ibiki didn’t need her to tell him when they were being lied to, but he wanted her opinion after every word their subjects uttered. He would make her the perfect lie detector.

“It’s still his flow, even if it is my chakra. He naturally alters it, or tries to. No one can lie to me, Ibiki-sensei!” She slapped his shoulder that she was still perched on.

“Speaking of chakra, you need to find a new non-verbal way of telling me when you think a subject is lying. Your little shocks are distracting.”

“Maybe you should just let me do the interrogations, sensei,” Akurei joked. All three of the ANBU laughed harder than she had expected.

“Rei-chan, do you know how the torture chamber works?” Shimon asked as Ibiki continued to chuckle. “I don’t think you’d want to be in Ibiki-san’s shoes in there,” He warned, grinning at her. Akurei turned around, looking down at him. He took her silence as a cue to keep explaining. “Ibiki-san feels the same pain as whomever he tortures. That’s the deal.” Akurei turned back to Ibiki, shocked.

“It takes a lot of effort to keep you out of the crossfire, you know! You’re the only one who has ever had the privilege of joining me in there! Everyone else has to watch from outside,” His voice boomed with jest.

“I’m not sure whether to feel honored or offended, Ibiki-sensei.” Akurei spoke with some truth behind the words. If it was so dangerous, why did he let her do it?

“There is no doubt in my mind that you could handle it if things went badly. But I do not let things go badly.” Ibiki said, his tone now completely serious. Akurei’s doubt had angered him. She instantly felt a little guilty. She shouldn’t have questioned his methods, even in her head. He always knew. “You might look like a child, Akurei, but you are not one. Our team is the strongest mentally; we are the most durable, pliable, the cleverest. You will grow up to be great, worthy of Konoha’s Torture and Interrogation Force. Protecting you would only hold you back. This isn’t the academy, which you hate, remember?” His tone had shifted again, back to being light-hearted.

“Sorry, sensei. I did not mean to doubt you. I appreciate you rescuing me from such boredom. I won’t let you down.” Ibiki looked at her through the corner of his eye.

“I’m glad we can be so honest with each other!” He chuckled again. Akurei smiled. She was tired, putting her own chakra inside someone else for so long was draining. It took a lot of chakra to completely fill the system of a full-grown adult male, and even more to keep it under complete control against such panic. Thankfully this man had only needed three points of infiltration. Most require over five for a successful and unnoticed breech. But she could still sense Ibiki’s pride in her. She had managed to downsize the amount of chakra she wasted, thanks to Itachi’s eyes and strict training. She knew she was safer than anywhere in the entire village when she was with these three, so she allowed herself to only have a single tendril lose. It flickered at the tips of Ibiki’s chakra. Since she was so close to him, she could even feel his power through her skin. His earth-based chakra was strong, unmovable, and calm. Within it she sensed something she could only describe as attachment. She was glad her own feelings were mutual.

“Ibiki-sensei, doesn’t it bother you, not knowing who the subject was meeting so close to our village?” Akurei asked.

“Our job is done. We’re reporting to Shinzo-san. ANBU have been scouting all around the village since the threat was located. Whoever he was meeting is long gone now. Their plans are disrupted at least, and we know Hanzo is involved. I doubt he’ll try anything for a while, once he realizes his team is not returning.” After climbing the stone staircases of the interrogation area and reaching the main floor, Akurei squinted as her eyes adjusted to natural light. They continued to the second floor of the Torture and Interrogation Force's headquarters, a place Akurei almost never went to. They stopped in front of two large doors that led to the leader's room. It was a position that Ibiki obviously coveted, Akurei could easily sense. She had somehow never met the leader of the Force. He was the type of man to lead from the shadows and let Ibiki handle almost all of the dirty work, which suited Ibiki just fine. But he wanted that title, she knew. She could feel his excitement just being here. Even though he basically ran the Force as second in command, he had always had eyes on that prestigious title. As Ibiki's excitement grew, however, Akurei's fear rose. She felt comfortable this close to the most violent man in Konoha, but the one who scared her was behind the doors.

Akurei hopped down from Ibiki’s shoulder, not wanting to enter the room. She also knew that she wasn't expected to, not this time. Ibiki reported her progress to Shinzo himself, so she had never even spoken to him. But she knew she would be expected to meet with him at some point, especially if she ended up working for him someday.

“Tonbo, Shimon and I will report our findings. You are free to leave. Oh, and expect punishment soon. You didn’t catch him lying about his name. See you!” Ibiki waved over his shoulder as the three pushed open the large doors. Akurei saw a tall, lanky man with short black hair sitting behind a desk. He was wearing dark sunglasses that concealed his eyes, a thick dark gray scarf wrapped around his neck and covering his nose and mouth. All of his clothes were tight and black, with silver buckles lining the front. His hands were covered by thin leather gloves. Akurei tried not to shiver as she felt his chakra. It was almost directed at her, reaching out with cold hands, crawling up and down her spine. She couldn't see where he was looking, but she knew it was at her.

Akurei scurried down the hallway, out of sight of the man. She ran down the stairs, shaking off the unsettling feeling of Shinzo's presence. She cursed under her breath, focusing once more on Ibiki's words. She had barely thought the name of their subject was of any relevance. She must have let that information slip by, focusing on his bigger lies. Ibiki must not have thought it was important, either, for he never demanded the subject’s true identity. Hanzo was the connection he sought, not his underlings. It was irrelevant this time, but it was still something she missed.

Ibiki would be excited; he hadn’t had the chance to reprimand her in weeks. His punishments were always strange and unexpected; he would never let it be known when he planned on carrying them out, making her nervous for days, sometimes weeks. One time he had trapped her inside his iron maiden, and refused to let her out until she told him that he was the most handsome man in all of the five nations, and she had to say it with feeling. That took a while to achieve. She had spent hours in the dark, trying to stand steady so she wouldn’t accidentally lean against any razor-sharp spikes surrounding her. Of course he waited until she was completely exhausted from training with Itachi all day, and all her body wanted to do was collapse. His sense of humor was one of a kind.

Akurei left the unimposing building in the center of the village, right next to the biggest building in the city; the Hokage's quarters. She would not be stopping by her old house today to look for signs of her brother. She hadn’t in months. It was too painful to go back, expecting to see him or maybe even a trace of him, and finding nothing but dust. Kakashi had broken his promise. Instead she went in the direction of her new home, the one she had been sharing with Itachi. He had been staying with her more and more often at her request. The more familiar his chakra became, the easier it was to be around it, the faster she could detect him from very far away. Just like Kakashi.

She had even agreed to meet Sasuke. He wasn’t that bad, and he never made fun of her. He was always nice to her, but she could sense from him many things he hid from his brother. He did not particularly like her. He was always tense when she was around, untrusting. He was mad that she got to spend so much time with Itachi. This was good, in a way. It made him work twice as hard. Unfortunately Itachi never let her practice with Sasuke. He did not want them competing, he wanted them to be friends. Sasuke would come to her apartment for dinner some nights. Those nights she was usually quiet. She noticed a direct correlation between her silence and Sasuke’s happiness, so when he was in her apartment she usually did not speak. He wanted attention from his own brother, that was natural, and she understood. She could not help but think of her own brother when she saw the two of them together. They were so happy…

Akurei came to the open gates that separated the Uchiha zone from the rest of the town. She entered, wondering where Itachi was. She didn’t feel his chakra nearby. It was getting late, and she didn’t feel like eating alone tonight. But he was an ANBU captain, so he was most likely scouting with his team, looking for any signs of another threat.

By now no one gave Akurei a second glance, the white-haired girl was almost a normal sight in the black-haired section of town. As she passed Itachi’s huge house, she felt the chakra of Sasuke upstairs. She had never interacted with him without Itachi to force the two of them together. But right now, with the lonely ache to see her own brother and the threat of punishment from Ibiki, she did not want to be alone.

She focused her chakra at her feet and scaled the outside wall, following her chakra arm that was focused on Sasuke. She came to a window, and peered inside. He was alone, good. She had never formally met Itachi’s parents, but there was something about them that she didn’t like. She tapped on the window, and Sasuke jumped. He glared at her, confused, but unlatched the glass. She climbed nimbly inside.

“Where’s Itachi? Why are you in my house?” He asked, not hiding his astonishment. Standing this close, they were almost at eye-level. Akurei was still slightly smaller, despite being older. She swore they had been even the last time she saw him.

“Scouting. Would you like to have food with me?” Akurei asked patiently. Itachi wanted her to be friends with his brother, and she would abide by his wishes. Her loneliness aided this decision.

She felt Sasuke’s chakra carefully. He was quite confused, and a little suspicious. Why did he think she had hidden intentions? Just because she could read chakra didn’t mean she could always understand it.

Sasuke sighed, and his chakra calmed. He seemed to be trying to shake his distrust away. At least he was trying.

“Ok. Where are we going?” The longer Akurei stayed near him, the more she regretted coming here. Now she was the one with hesitation. Why was she so nervous around Sasuke? She imitated him, and tried to calm herself. Surely she could make one friend.

“My house. I can make us ramen.” She spoke. Sasuke said nothing. “Or… something else. If you want…” She was getting timid again, her voice soft. She never acted this way with Itachi or Ibiki.

“No, ramen sounds good. Let’s go,” Sasuke turned to the door. Akurei climbed back out the window.

“I’ll meet you down there,” She said, jumping down. Trying to say words that kept Sasuke’s chakra at content levels was stressful enough; she did not plan on running into his parents. Why was this so hard? She never had to monitor her sensei’s emotions like this. Maybe they were just good at controlling their flow. Sasuke was an open book, and every thought that passed through his mind seemed to change his mood. That was the difference between kids and adults, she realized. Maybe that was why she never tried to make friends. It was too nerve-racking when she knew what they were thinking.

After a minute or two of waiting, Sasuke came outside. His chakra was fluttering. He had fire-based chakra, too, even if he hadn’t mastered it yet. She had seen him use a fireball jutsu, and it was pretty good. He could master it soon, she thought. She wanted to tell him that, but couldn’t figure out how to say it without sounding weird. True to his nature, his chakra flickered and seemed to be always changing. It was harder to peg down his thoughts. Uncertainty and puzzlement, laced with doubt and hope. It made no sense. His emotions were in direct conflict.

She pondered this as they walked toward her apartment building. Akurei thought she heard one of the older shopkeepers call the two of them “cute.” The thought was perplexing; how could they be cute, when they were obviously so distrustful of one another? Perhaps it was only obvious to her. She noticed Sasuke’s chakra suddenly swell. It was very slight, but it was there. Sasuke had heard the old lady, too. He liked the attention. Or maybe he liked the thought of the two of them being in a situation where the term “cute” was applicable.

They shortly reached Akurei’s building. Without thinking, she started scaling the outer wall as she had Sasuke’s house. She had almost made it to her window when she felt a strong sense of annoyance from her companion. She turned around, looking down at him. She dropped the key, and it landed on the ground in front of him. Sasuke and Itachi had been the only ones to use her door since she moved in. Akurei had never used the key once. She was fortunate that it had been in her pocket, she thought as she climbed inside.

She took her shoes off and placed them near the window, as usual. She went to the kitchen to start boiling water while Sasuke entered the main doors on the ground floor. She tried to feel his chakra as it entered the building and started winding up the steps on the far side, but she zoned out while the water heated, and lost track of him. There were too many people in the building, all made of fire. Some were stronger than others, but keeping track of just one in this village was like trying to keep track of a single flame in an inferno. Fire was a fickle thing, and was constantly morphing. It had taken her months to be able to recognize Itachi’s chakra, and that was because his fire shared properties with his water element. A strange combination, but he stuck out to her now as Kakashi once had.

Her door unlocked and opened, and Sasuke entered, snapping her out of her daydream. He locked the door behind him, and took off his shoes as Akurei put the noodles into the pot. She had to stand on a stool to be able to reach the stove. She wasn’t nearly as good at cooking as Itachi was, but she had watched him make her food countless times. She cracked an egg into the pot, and threw in some chopped onions and tofu, the only ingredients she had in her fridge. She should have told Sasuke to bring something. Her noodles would be pretty plain with only these things, she thought as she rummaged through her bare cabinets. She found a small box with only a few miso flavoring packets inside. This would do.

She dumped the dusty contents of one of the small packets into the boiling concoction. At least it smelled like something now. Sasuke came over to where she stood on her stool, and climbed up next to her, looking inside the pot as she stirred it. He was intrigued by her unorthodox cooking methods. Perhaps she did it with enough confidence that he assumed she knew what she was doing.

The two children were small enough to both fit on the stool, but that didn’t mean Akurei wanted him there. He was standing much too close. She tried not to let it bother her; he soon got bored of watching the food cook and got down to get bowls ready. Akurei let out the breath she had been holding.

She turned off the stove, and filled each bowl as Sasuke handed them to her. He took the steaming bowls to the table, and Akurei grabbed two deep spoons and chopsticks. She admitted that it did smell really good, even if that was only the smell of the miso flavor packet.

“Itadakimasu!” Sasuke said happily. Perhaps he thought it smelled good, too. He seemed less tense now, at least. If making friends was as easy as attempting to cook for them, maybe it wasn’t nearly as unattainable as Akurei thought. “This is good, Akurei,” Sasuke smiled at her. Akurei wasn’t sure if he was the world’s least picky eater, or just being nice. Either way, she appreciated the sentiment.

Akurei took a bite. It really wasn’t horrible; all she could taste was the miso packet. The tofu sucked the good flavor right up. It was a bit on the salty side because of the fake flavoring, but it was edible.

“Akurei… I know Itachi doesn’t want us to compete… but will you train with me?” Sasuke asked hesitantly. She had always thought he was jealous because the ANBU wanted to train her, and she was still so young. Almost nobody gets a special invitation to learn from the ANBU before graduating the academy. Maybe Itachi had explained to him about her chakra. Akurei honestly thought she was quite useless in a real battle, good only for stealth missions and finding truth. Sasuke, on the other hand, was full of potential for tough battles. Perhaps they could learn from each other.

Akurei smiled, feeling that Sasuke was no longer suspicious of her. She was so excited to have finally made a friend. Why didn’t she just make him dinner sooner?

“It’s not even dark yet. Let’s go,” Akurei finished her broth and stood, tossing her bowl into the sink with a clatter.

“Now?” He asked, suddenly full of excitement.

“Itachi-sensei will probably be back in the morning. Why not now?” Akurei headed for the back room, where her shoes were. Sasuke put his shoes on by the front door. “No, come this way,” Sasuke gave her a strange look, but followed her to the window in the back room. He was obviously not pleased that she wanted him to follow her out the window. He had not been raised to use windows as doors, not when there was nothing stopping them from using the door like normal people. But when Akurei squeezed out of the window and began to scale the building, Sasuke followed, sitting on the ledge and watching. She walked on walls as if she were on the ground.

“There is no way I can do that!” Sasuke said, groaning. How was someone so young so attuned to their chakra? It was impossible, yet he was watching it happen. It should have taken years for her to learn such chakra control. Akurei turned around, seemingly forgetting that Sasuke was there. She walked back, the window at her feet.

“Here, let me help.” She held out her hand, and Sasuke hesitantly reached up and took it. “Just don’t think about it, now put your foot here.” He felt a sudden jolt and tried to jerk his hand away, but Akurei held on tightly. It was good she didn’t let go, or he might have fallen backwards. “Don’t worry, I’ll make your chakra do what I want. Just don’t freak out.” Sasuke tried to listen, but the buzzing, numbing feeling climbing up his arm was a bit unexpected. “Just walk, I’ll make sure your feet stick,” She was slowly walking backwards, trying to pull Sasuke along. He still had not left the windowsill. For a second he wasn’t sure if he could move.

He forced himself to lift a foot to the wall, and felt a strong pull at the bottoms of his feet. It felt almost like gravity. Akurei kept inching backwards. She took both of his hands in hers, showing that she wouldn’t let him fall, and kept slowly inching backwards. Sasuke lifted his other foot off of the windowsill. He was standing on the vertical wall, and he wasn’t falling. He had a death grip on Akurei’s hands, but she continued her slow backwards pace.

Sasuke didn’t even have to try. He just had to walk. She hadn’t lied. His entire body felt strange, almost tingling. It didn’t hurt, but it didn’t feel good. Every few seconds something would spasm; first his shoulder, than his whole hand. It was an extremely uncomfortable reminder that he was not in control, and his muscles were on the verge on disobeying him. But despite this, he was unusually calm.

They passed a few windows, and reached the top. Akurei pulled him up, so they were both standing on the roof. Sasuke’s legs were trembling; he could no longer feel them. He fell forward, but Akurei did not let go of his hands, so there was nothing to break his fall but his knees. She muttered an apology, looking rather deep in thought. The numb sensation had spread throughout his entire bod, he couldn’t even feel her gripping his hands or the hard roof under his knees.

Pulling her own chakra out of Sasuke without hurting him was proving to be a difficult task. She had managed to keep the flow gentle and keep him from panicking, at least. If he had freaked out, like his chakra wanted to do naturally when faced with an obvious intruder, she wouldn’t have been able to keep him from falling off of the wall. But he had been much more trusting than she could have imagined, and let her do most of the work. Now it was only a matter of removing her chakra, and giving the reigns back to Sasuke. He was a bit shaken, but only because he had never felt her chakra before. She knew it was uncomfortable to those who had not mastered the lightning element, and downright painful for water-based users, but she didn’t have any other elements.

She had two choices; try to pull her chakra out slowly, or rip it out quickly. She had never worried about her subject before- never had the need to remove her chakra painlessly. It struck her that she did not know how to do it without discomfort. She had only practiced infiltrating for torture. What was she supposed to do now?

Sasuke’s chakra was only getting more and more difficult to control the longer she stayed in his system. His chakra was getting stronger, trying to push out the threat that had breached his defenses. What would she have normally done? Once the interrogation was over, she would have ripped her chakra out, her attention finished with the crumpled, bloody, defeated subject on the ground. She knew not what happened to her subject after she forcibly removed her chakra, that had never been an issue. But now her subject was her first and only friend. What if she hurt him?

As she slowly removed her own chakra, however, Sasuke’s heart rate shot up. Which was worse? A quick removal, or a long, drawn-out one? Akurei did not know. Sasuke’s hands were limp in her own as he tried feebly to pull away. He was clearly in some discomfort, but Akurei wasn’t ready to pull away and leave his flow in such a state of disarray.

Sasuke’s chakra was fire, but she could mimic it. Why hadn’t she thought of that before? Her lightning was imposing and desensitizing, but maybe she could stop those effects if she imitated a different element. It was worth a try, she thought. She had never tried it before, but if she could learn to mimic other elements, even superficially, perhaps infiltration would be easier.

With a swell of enthusiasm she focused on Sasuke’s heat, trying to smooth the jagged edges of her power to fit alongside of his. She maintained flow of his chakra, while making it feel as if her lightning were leaving his system. It felt strange; her own chakra was becoming a different shape, an unnatural feeling as she molded her lightning to his fire, weaving the two together. His limbs slowly stopped shaking; it was working. She wasn’t shocking his insides anymore.

Having another idea, she let go of his hands. Sasuke shook them out and carefully stood up. She severed the ties, giving her fire-shaped chakra to him. If it felt the same as his own, perhaps he could wield it as such. Feeling a little haughty, Akurei turned around and continued towards the forest behind her apartment to continue their training. This wasn’t a bad start, she thought proudly.

“How did you do that?” Sasuke asked, his eyes bright with curiosity. He felt a surge of power, instead of the release of it like he was expecting. But still something didn’t feel quite right. His chakra was almost vibrating inside him. It wasn’t the shocking numbness, but it wasn’t exactly the feel of his own.

Panic struck Akurei as she felt the results of what she had done behind her. There was dissonance. It felt nothing like when she and Kakashi fought; when their chakra had resonated so perfectly. At that time, there was no way to tell whose chakra it was filling the room. But now, something was wrong. It started as a tear, a fissure between her fire-shaped lightning and his fire, and then ripped wide open. There was a scream as Sasuke fell.

Akurei whirled around to face the collapsed Sasuke, who was writhing in pain as his chakra split in half. Her own dark blue lightning was discharging out of him in every direction. It had reverted back to jagged sparks, no longer retaining the smooth edges and flickers of the fire it was supposed to be blending with.

Before Akurei could react, maybe try to force her way back into his overloaded system and calm the blast down, she was slammed from the side, her vision and senses suddenly gone. She was barely aware of hitting the ground and rolling to a halt. When she opened her eyes, she was on her back. She stared up at the sky; she hadn’t fallen from the roof, she noted by her unblocked view of the orange clouds. It took her a few more seconds to get out of the daze, and try to locate the threat that had crashed into her.

When her head stopped spinning, she pushed herself to her hands and knees and looked around. Someone was holding Sasuke on the opposite side of the roof. She had been sent flying pretty far, and was only a few feet from the edge of the roof. Just one hit had her completely disoriented.

Itachi held his brother; she could hear his voice, but not the words. He must have been trying to calm him down. She blinked and he was suddenly walking towards her, cradling his little brother in his arms. He looked down at her with contempt. His chakra flared threateningly, as red as his eyes. Was he mad because she hurt Sasuke? She didn’t mean to…

“Nii-san… we were only training… Don’t be mad, I’m sorry…” Sasuke stared at his knees. Why was he acting guilty? It had been entirely Akurei’s fault. She could have just used the door like a normal person. Sasuke was sticking up for her; he wouldn’t allow her to be punished, even when she had been the one to mess up. The thought made her swell with happiness.

“Sorry, Rei-chan” Itachi smiled down at her. Had she imagined that furious chakra? Her guilt must have made her over-sensitive, for his chakra now felt calm and reassuring, the complete opposite of what it had been just a second ago. Sasuke’s chakra was weak, but replenishing itself as it found a natural balance once her chakra had been dispelled. “I never expected you two to be together.” Itachi spoke as he walked towards the edge they had climbed up. “I’m taking Sasuke home. If you two wanted to train together, you should have just told me,” Itachi’s aura was still friendly. Akurei knew he was a good brother, and for a second missed her own. Itachi was handling it well, dealing with his student hurting his younger brother. Akurei felt another pang of guilt. They both were too good to her. “See you tomorrow, Rei-chan.” Still smiling at her, Itachi disappeared.

  
  


  
  


  
  


Akurei was awake before the sun had risen. She hadn't slept well, still feeling bad about letting Sasuke get hurt. She decided to get dressed and leave early today to avoid making Itachi wait. If she began to practice early without him, maybe he would forgive her for her mistake.

She climbed out of her window as usual, sitting on the sill and looking around before hopping down to the ground. Still tired and a bit out of it, she walked through the empty streets. Only yellow street lights illuminated her path, the red paper lanterns still glowing down a few alleys. The streets were mostly quiet, as only a few bars and clubs were even still open this early. It took her a few seconds to realize that she hadn't started walking to Itachi's usual training ground outside of the city, but rather towards town. There was a strange jolt inside her that made her want to stop and turn around, but she ignored it.

Instead she kept walking, letting habit or instinct take over. She allowed herself to zone out briefly, looking at the mesmerizing glow of lamps and the moths circling them. When it was this quiet she could even hear the faint buzz of electricity. It was oddly calming being awake at this hour. She kept walking until she was far outside of the Uchiha zone, passing shops that had been closed up for the night, their thin metal sliding doors pulled down to the ground and locked. The metal covers on the main streets were clean and all nearly identical, but as she turned down a few alleys she noticed that graffiti had been painted over the doors. Some of it was brightly colored and new, and some the colors had faded over time. Most of it was scribbled writing in kanji she couldn't even read, but some of it was beautiful.

Soon she realized where her body was taking her. She didn't know the route, but she knew the direction. She was passing through the middle of the city, to the house on the other side. The house she grew up in; shared with her brother. But why? She let her thoughts pass freely through her mind, visions of Sasuke and Itachi. How utterly furious Itachi had looked, if only for a second. How pleased she would have been if Kakashi ever looked at someone like that.

She squeezed her eyes and exhaled deeply, pushing the thoughts away. She altered her course, going down narrow alleys she had never explored before. She would not be visiting her house tonight, she decided, her frustration growing. As she continued aimlessly down the streets, she realized she had been following red lanterns. She heard voices and drunken shouting from few of the clubs, a dim orange glow coming from their covered windows. As she looked around she noticed the graffiti was nearly covering every wall on this street, and it was all eerily similar. Still she couldn't read it.

A sudden feral scream came from a bar nearby. It was down a short alleyway that connected to the one she was walking down, that had only a single door at the very end. A red lantern was glowing in front of a simple wooden sliding door. Akurei froze; there was also yelling, crashing and the sounds of shattering glass. She stared down the small alley at the door. Suddenly the door burst from its frame, the wood splitting in the middle as a man was thrown through it. Akurei jumped, too confused to do anything else. The man crashed onto his back, the broken door in pieces under him. Akurei stared at him; he wasn't wearing a shirt, yet his skin was completely covered by vibrant patterns and pictures.

Akurei looked inside the bar. A woman was standing directly in front of the man, and something was very obviously wrong. She wore only a thin blue and black kimono that hung down loosely on her shoulders, her breasts nearly spilling out of it. It was almost completely open in the front, her pale legs visible to her upper thighs. The whole thing would have fallen off her if the obi hadn't been secured tightly around her waist. Her stance was strange and low, her piercing blue eyes staring down the man who she had thrown out of the bar with an animalistic fury.

There were more men in the bar behind her, each shirtless and covered in the same pictures as the man on the ground. They were laughing, shouting and rowdy. One of them grabbed the woman from behind, pulling her arms behind her tightly. As she fought, Akurei got a glimpse of the man. He wasn’t wearing anything; the ink under his skin covering his entire back side from shoulders to ankles. Another man stumbled in to help his naked friend and grabbed the woman’s legs, lifting her off the ground. She roared at them angrily as she thrashed, but the men only laughed more. Even as the one holding her legs took a direct kick to his face, he still wobbled and cackled.

“Told you she's nothing like Ayumi,” The one behind her said over her yells as she stumbled backwards and fell. He let go of her arms and let her fall onto her back, putting a bare foot on her chest. “This one makes you work for it,”

Before Akurei could take in more of the sight something grabbed her arm. She was pulled a few steps past the alley, the bar disappearing from her sight. She whirled around to face a massive figure before her. It was a man, and she only came up to about his waist. A second before she reacted with violence, she recognized the long black jacket.

“Ibiki-sensei?!” She blurted, still in shock. The man let out a deep laugh.

“This is no place for a little girl,” He said, not letting go of her wrist. His words sounded like a warning, but he was grinning widely. She tried again to pull her arm from his grip, but his hand squeezed her forearm with force. It hurt, and her skinny arm looked even smaller in his huge hand. As she stared up at him, her shock was slowly replaced with annoyance.

“Bars are too dangerous, but assisting torture, that's fine,” She said. He finally let go of her arm and she pulled it away from him. He roared another deep laugh that almost covered up the shouts and crashes coming from the alley that was now behind her.

“Not bars,” He said. “ _that_ bar. Maybe in a few more years, I'll take you back here...” He said, his face half-hidden in shadows and looking even more sinister than usual. For some reason the look he gave her sent cold chills up her spine, every muscle in her body wanting to run, to get away from him. She tried to push the feeling down, clinging to her annoyance instead. It was the only way to deal with this man.

She glared at him but his satisfied smirk only grew. He turned and began to walk away, gesturing Akurei to follow. As much as she wanted to look back at the bar fight and make sure the woman was ok, she was also smart enough to know not to deliberately ignore Ibiki. She walked fast to catch up to his long strides, falling into step beside him. Something was different about him, but she couldn't put her finger on it.

“Seems like you just couldn't wait for your punishment,” He said, his voice deeper and slightly more serious, yet he was still grinning. Akurei tried not to show how uncomfortable she was, holding on desperately to her annoyance to help keep her on top of the conversation. Why was he so much more unsettling to her right now? Something about being with him in a dark alley made Akurei apprehensive.

“Well I didn't _plan_ on running into you, sensei,” She said, cutting her eyes up at him. She had completely forgotten about her mistake in the interrogation yesterday, her thoughts too consumed by Itachi and Sasuke. A realization hit her as long shadows began to form on the street, the sky turning a deep orange. She was supposed to be in the forest soon, on the other side of town. But she was nervous to tell Ibiki she had to leave. Instead she continued to follow, thinking about how she should leave to cause the least amount of backlash. He would find a way to assign her more punishments at the strangest of things, and she didn't want to hand him a new excuse.

“Oh, you don't have to lie, Rei-chan,” He said, his affection sounding equal parts mocking and sincere, with a strangely menacing undertone. Or maybe she was simply reading too much into it. Before she could decipher anything more from his tone, she was lifted into the air and something hard slammed into her back with a hollow clash. Ibiki's forearm was crushing her collar bone, pressing her back against the metal shutter of a closed shop. Her feet were off the ground, her body suspended between Ibiki and the cold door. His face was too close to hers, his dark eyes piercing into her frightened gray ones. She smelled something strong on his breath that stung her eyes. She tried to turn away but couldn’t, her eyes watering involuntarily from whatever it was. “I'll give you a ten-second head-start, because I am so kind,” He said. He couldn't hide his eagerness anymore; his grin was wide, his teeth barred and chakra swirled with excitement.

Akurei opened her mouth to protest, but couldn't force any words out. The pain in her chest was crushing and sharp. Suddenly she fell, landing on her feet and stumbling to her knees as she gasped in a harsh breath. Fear ran through her veins like ice. She hated being on the opposite side of Ibiki's sadistic whims. Why couldn't she just remain on his good side?

“One,” He muttered under his breath, watching her with wide and hungry eyes. Akurei jumped to her feet and bolted back the way she came, not even bothering to glance back at the scene at the bar. She needed to get higher, to the rooftops, and make a beeline for the forest. If she could get to Itachi, Ibiki would surely back down and let them practice. She hoped.

She ran as fast as she could, darting across the tops of buildings, her shadow long on the empty streets below. A few shops were beginning to open, a few homes filled with people and families beginning to wake up. Akurei could feel the chakra noise of the city slowly growing, but it wasn't enough to deter Ibiki. She knew he would chase her down no matter how many people were around. Would anyone dare to stop him? To those who didn't know he was training her, it would look pretty weird to see a grown man attack such a small girl in the middle of town. But nearly everyone feared Ibiki, and those that didn't had simply never ran into him before.

Akurei didn't bother to conserve her energy. She tore through the air, her body already feeling exhausted. Each breath hurt her lungs, her side feeling like it was being stabbed, but still she pushed herself to go faster.

Something impossible fast grabbed her around the waist. It wasn't Ibiki. There were two men; the one holding her, and another next to her. Her eyes widened as she realized who they were.

“Shimon?” She asked the brown-haired man next to her. She looked up to see Tonbo's bandaged face. She couldn't wriggle out of Tonbo's grasp. Suddenly the man next to her disappeared in a puff of smoke, and suddenly Akurei was staring at herself. The small white-haired girl glanced at her with a worried face. Suddenly Tonbo changed his course, letting Shimon continue in the path Akurei had been taking. “Tonbo, what are you-” She said, her voice ragged.

“Akurei. Please let us handle Ibiki. It would be too dangerous for you to be involved right now.” Tonbo spoke, his words calm and collected. But Akurei could feel his chakra easily, being so close to him. He was incredibly nervous about something. He didn't put her down as he ran. Akurei couldn't even tell where they were going, the buildings around them just a blur.

“Why? I can handle Ibiki,” She argued, trying to squirm out of his grasp. He held on tightly. She was secretly relieved to be at the mercy of someone like Tonbo instead of Ibiki. She had never felt any ill-intent from neither him nor Shimon, she realized, comparing all of the chakra she had just felt. Neither of his assistants had that raw, dominating feel to their chakra that Ibiki sometimes had.

“I am taking you somewhere far, where you will stay with either me or Itachi, if he is to train you today.” He spoke, ignoring Akurei's protests. Why was today's punishment any different than normal? He had never chased her down as if hunting prey; usually she found herself in an ambush. But surely it wasn't that different, she was just aware of it this time. Akurei wracked her brain trying to figure out why the two were scared this time. They had never intervened before, even when Akurei was inside his various torture summons. She was beginning to get frustrated at her inability to read the situation.

Before she could ask any more questions, Tonbo skidded to a halt. He put her down on her feet, in front of the Uchiha section of town. Itachi was standing in the empty main street.

“I'm sorry if she has caused you any trouble,” Itachi said to Tonbo, who bowed slightly.

“None at all. I'll leave her to you,” Tonbo bowed once more before disappearing. Akurei stared at the empty air where he had just stood, then turned to Itachi. He could see the utter confusion on her face.

“I will assume you had a good reason to be out so far. Let's get started.”

  
  


  
  


  
  



	6. The Test

Well over a year had passed since Kakashi had broken his promise. No one ever talked about him; he was never mentioned in any context in her new life. That was fine with her.

Akurei lie on her back up high on a thick branch, watching the sun come up as she usually did while waiting for Itachi. Her hair had grown down past her shoulders in the past few months and hung loosely, lazily draped over the branch underneath her head. She allowed herself to relax as she stared up at the sky through the leaves, letting her chakra feel out as far as it could. She wouldn't let anyone sneak up on her today, as her teachers so enjoyed doing.

She listened to the gentle breeze that rustled the dried leaves from their branches. She closed her eyes and tried to focus on her chakra, on the sounds around her. She knew Itachi's chakra well by now, and could recognize it almost instantly. Almost like she had once been able to do with Kakashi. But Itachi's was fire, and felt very different. She wasn't drawn to it like a magnet, but it stuck out to her now even in the flames of the Uchiha ward.

She felt it. It was faint; his chakra wasn't suppressed but it moved quickly. He wasn't trying to hide. That was strange. Akurei opened her eyes and sat up, her legs dangling from the branch. She faced the direction she felt Itachi's flames and waited. In a split second she felt something behind her. She jumped down from the branch, landing silently on the ground and whirled around. Itachi stood up in the tree where she had just been sitting. She glared at him as another Itachi burst through the treeline behind her. She jumped out of the way of a barrage of kunai, keeping tabs on both Itachi and his clone.

“You're slow today, Rei-chan.” Itachi said, his voice monotonous. Akurei knew that was his way of teasing and sighed.

“How did you suppress your chakra while also having a clone out?” She asked, watching both of their red eyes.

“I didn't.” He stated. Akurei frowned.

“Were you watching my chakra? That's cheating,” She said, still trying to figure out how he evaded her senses.

“I was. I wish you could see it.” He said, his tone strangely warm. Akurei cocked her head slightly, not sure how to react. “But you forget that chakra is constantly changing. You can recognize mine, that's true. But one can mask their natural chakra, to an extent. I want to show you that today.” He jumped from the branch, and he and his clone stepped forward. Akurei pushed her chakra to Itachi, feeling for what she had missed. His clone was his normal chakra pattern, that's why she had recognized it so easily. But she hadn't been anticipating how he had changed it.

The chakra of the original Itachi wasn't fire. Or rather, the fire was being hidden underneath a layer of earth, made intentionally thick. She frowned again, angry that she hadn't noticed him. Why had this chakra been so difficult to detect? She should, and usually was, able to detect any chakra at all.

“So you've noticed.” His red eyes were staring at something invisible in the air before him. “Your chakra has only one major weakness. But we will remedy that.” He smiled. Akurei just watched him. “Earth chakra is in natural opposition to lightning, but luckily you can adapt to that. Have you ever noticed how quickly you can locate other lightning chakra, or chakra that is familiar to you? I suppose the opposite end of that spectrum would be this. But I also have the advantage of being able to see where you are scanning, so don't feel too discouraged.” Akurei threw a kunai behind her before Itachi had finished speaking. A third Itachi walked slowly out from behind a tree, a slight smile on his face.

“That one's a clone too,” Akurei said, her focus on the newest Itachi. His red eyes drifted to the air above him. This Itachi was using the water element as his primary chakra, but his system was still almost the same as when he used fire. It had a different feel, yet familiar. Not like when he used the earth element. As annoyed as she was, she couldn't help but feel impressed by the perfect control he had over his chakra system in each clone.

“Is it?” All three of her sensei stepped closer. “Today you're going to learn how to identify the real one, and be able to tell instantly if someone is a clone. If you can latch onto that chakra, you can follow it to the real one. A clone cannot exist without a tether to its source.”

“I can already infiltrate clones,” Akurei said defensively. She focused her chakra around each Itachi, trying to sense which one was the real one. She hated that she wasn't sure. She decided to try to infiltrate the water clone, and pushed her chakra into it.

“How many times do I need to remind you to make your chakra thinner?” Itachi asked, a slight impatience in his voice. “You're only able to enter my flow because I am allowing it. What do you feel?” Akurei tried to ignore her growing frustration and focus, but was finding it difficult. All of his clones felt natural enough to pass as real at first glance. She tried to reach deeper, feeling the calm water chakra flowing gently. But there was something else. She reached for what felt like a stream that diverged from a river and suddenly it made sense. There was a tiny string of chakra leading from its core outward, to the Itachi using fire chakra. They were connected.

Akurei followed the trail, feeling the chakra inside of the next Itachi. If she could find the tether to the last Itachi, she would know which one was real. But the further she went, the more difficult it became and the less she could feel. She had to use a lot of her own chakra, more than she had anticipated. It took a lot to fill the system of two full-grown adults. But finally she found it. So the fire was the real one.

She tried to force her chakra from the tether in to the earth Itachi, but couldn't. Maybe she was too far away, or maybe merely one point of infiltration was not adequate. She readied more chakra on the outside of it, but Itachi stopped her with a gesture.

“This isn't efficient for someone with such a small chakra reserve as you. You have to use less, you're already exerting yourself.” Itachi said calmly. “You don't need to fill the entire system... that is.... uncomfortable. You'll be detected immediately. Use less chakra, and stay in the core. That's where the clones are connected. And move quickly.” Akurei was starting to feel the mental fatigue, made worse by all of the commands that were beginning to frustrate her. “If you can master this, you shouldn't need to use any chakra from the outside, either. In theory.”

“In theory?” Akurei asked, not controlling her tone through her concentration.

“Yes, theory,” Itachi snapped back. “There is only one other person I have ever seen with chakra comparable to yours. But even his doesn't have the potential of yours,” He said, trying to ignore the tingling sensation of her lightning.

“Who?” Akurei asked, sincerely interested. She began to remove her chakra from her sensei's clone, remembering what had happened to Sasuke when she had tried to donate it long ago. She needed to start over; how she was organized right now would have her depleted within the hour.

“You already know him. Aburame Shinzo. He has asked to meet with you today.” Itachi said, watching the reaction of his student. Her heart sank, her chakra began to waver and twitch with anxiety. She looked terrified. “It's a good thing, Akurei. It means he is taking you seriously as a potential member of his team.” He reassured. Akurei's expression of dread didn't change. Itachi watched her wide, gray eyes with interest. She was wise to fear Shinzo. He wondered if their chakras interacted. He would love to witness them in the same room with his sharingan.

“Why is his chakra like mine?” Akurei asked. Itachi paused to think. He had never seen Shinzo in a fight; that man was a complete mystery even to him. He had no idea what he could actually do with his chakra, he only had contemplated the possibilities from what he could see with his sharingan.

“He is a sensory-type too. But I'm afraid that all the people who have seen the extent of his power are probably dead soon after.” Itachi mused, but regretted speaking aloud when he saw how much he was scaring Akurei. He smiled reassuringly. “But that isn't relevant. You're good at getting me talking, Akurei. Maybe you are good for the Force after all.” Itachi's smile was genuine. Akurei must have been able to feel that, for she seemed to relax a little bit. “Are you ready to try again? I have so many more theories...”

Akurei took a deep breath and slowly let it out. Itachi watched her beautiful deep blue chakra almost shake itself out of the anxious, twitching state. As she focused the tendrils reached out from her, thinner than they were before. But she was conserving her energy. The chakra tendrils were much closer to her body, and there were fewer of them. Itachi was pleased.

She didn't waste any time; she struck his water clone like a jab with a needle into its core. It shot from one Itachi to the next, but once more seemed to get stuck.

“I know which is a clone, but... now what?” Akurei said, the frustration beginning to show on her face again. Ignoring the all-too-familiar tingling sensation, Itachi watched her.

“Disrupt the clone's access to my chakra. Take the control from me, and it should disappear. Once you can do that, the possibilities are endless. If my theory is correct... I think someday you should be able to steal a clone from its owner. But... you might not have the chakra reserve for that.” Itachi said softly, looking pensive. Akurei frowned at him, but tried to focus on her chakra.

She felt the tether, but she didn't know what to do with it. She had an image of cutting it like a string, but doing that with lightning didn't seem possible. She tried to shove more of her chakra into the link, to maybe sever it from the inside. But Itachi's chakra merely flowed around it. Without the ability to see what the chakra was doing, she was just feeling blindly. As usual she wondered what it looked like to Itachi.

She barely had time to dodge as a fourth Itachi lunged from the trees behind her. She stumbled out of the way, whirling around awkwardly as she barely avoided a swipe from his kunai. Before she had even steadied herself on her feet, the Itachi who was now behind her grabbed her and shoved her forward into the ground, twisting her arms behind her back as her chest hit the ground hard. The side of her face was pressed against the grass as she struggled to take in a full breath with Itachi's knee in the middle of her back. He held her arms firmly behind her; struggling was not an option. She cursed herself for not expecting this.

“You won't have unlimited time to figure things out, Rei. Even focusing on your chakra, you need to remain aware of your surroundings.” The Itachi who held her down said flatly, as if he had expected her unprepared reaction. Akurei gasped in a raspy breath. His weight was making it increasingly hard to breathe even small sips. She tried to complain but as soon as she opened her mouth to speak he leaned in slightly, forcing all the air from her lungs. “You have already lost focus on the clones. But you weren't going to succeed that attempt, far from it.” He said. There was suddenly a deep, booming laughter from deeper in the woods.

“That's harsh, Itachi. I like it!” Ibiki stepped into the clearing, his long black jacket flowing behind him. Itachi let go of Akurei's arms and removed his knee from her back, standing to face the intruder. Akurei groaned as she pushed herself to her knees.

“Ibiki-san, you're quite early.” He spoke as his three clones disappeared. His tone was neutral, but Akurei knew he was annoyed. Ibiki shrugged.

“Captain's orders,” He said, his eyeing Akurei on the ground with a smirk. “Let's go.”

  
  


  
  


Akurei followed Ibiki through the stone corridors she had gotten so accustomed to. He seemed to be in good spirits as he walked with his hands in his pockets, his normal pace that left Akurei trotting after his long, purposeful strides. He wasn't at all phased by Akurei's mix of annoyance and dread.

They turned the dark corridor that led to the interrogation rooms. Akurei hadn't liked being completely surrounded by stone on all sides; it was disorienting. But she had gotten so used to the dark and claustrophobic feeling that she barely noticed it anymore. As they neared one of the thick metal doors, Akurei felt her anxiety rise. She didn't ever have anything to do with the physical tortures that took place here. That was Ibiki's job.

As the metal scraped against the concrete floor loudly, Akurei took a deep, calming breath. She felt his weak, frantic chakra before she had even entered the room.

The torture rooms were all the same. Concrete floor, concrete walls and ceiling. A single table made of a stone slab in the center of the room, and a drain nearby for the blood. The walls were lined with blades and metal devices that Akurei didn't even want to understand. This particular room was occupied. A man was strapped down to the table with an excessive amount of leather straps across his bare torso and legs. He was already bloodied and looked terrified. Ibiki stepped aside, giving Akurei enough space to enter the room. With a deep groan the door slid back into its frame and clicked shut, locking the two of them together with the prisoner.

“Ibiki-sensei, why have you brought me here? I thought I was supposed to meet Shinzo-san.” Akurei said, her voice not revealing how nervous she was. She stared at the man who lie on the table with a bored expression as he hyperventilated and met her gaze from the corner of his eye.

“First you have to do something for me,” Ibiki said with a wide, sinister grin. “You've only dealt with subjects after I'm done with them. This one, I want you to help take care of.” He watched Akurei, eager to see her reaction. With a slight sigh she turned to look back at Ibiki.

“I would never deny you that pleasure,” She said. Ibiki roared with laughter.

“How thoughtful. But we can't allow any weak stomachs as a full-fledged member of the Torture and Interrogation Force!” He laughed again. “I know you don't mind seeing the results of my work, but you need some experience doing it yourself.”

“I'm worried I might not be as creative as you, sensei.” Akurei frowned at him. She honestly had no idea what Ibiki did to their prisoners to break each and every one, and doubted she could do it herself.

“You don't have to do anything fancy; that comes with time. I just need to know how you feel about inflicting pain on someone who isn't a threat and can't fight back. It's not the same as a fair fight where defending yourself and survival instincts take over. Not even close.”

“Please...” A choked voice came from the table. Akurei turned to look at the pitiful man. She looked him over more thoroughly this time. His eyes were sunken in to his thin face, his ribs protruding from his chest. It was obvious he had been here a while, and had been starved. The blood that covered his torso looked old, gashes and cuts clotted with dark, dried blood. The table was soaked in a color that looked black in the dim lights, some old blood dried around the drain under the table. His wide, bloodshot eyes pierced into Akurei's pleadingly. They were light brown, as was his hair. It was hard to tell in the soft orange glow of naked bulbs hanging from the ceiling by their wires.

Akurei approached the table. It was taller than she was. Ibiki stood back, his arms crossed over his chest and an amused grin on his face. Akurei jumped onto the table, standing over the half-naked man. She stared down at him with apathy. As her eyes adjusted to the light of the room and she got closer, she saw how badly beaten he was. It wasn't only stab wounds and gashes that covered his body, but bruises too, especially on his face. One of his arms and a foot seemed to be broken, as well. Akurei reached in her bag for a kunai. If all she had to do was help cut up a man, that was nothing.

“Stop! Please, stop... You aren't a monster, you don't have to do this!” He shouted frantically. “Please... don't. Please...” His voice quivered and broke. He hadn't been allowed water in a very long time, she could tell. Ignoring his protests, she slid the blade from its pouch. His harsh, ragged breaths got heavier and faster. “I want to go home…” He said softly, sobbing. “Please, I wanna go home…” He sounded utterly defeated, his voice a whining, lamenting cry. It didn’t match the appearance of a grown man. Akurei felt a horrible clenching in the pit of her stomach.

Before he could beg again, Akurei slammed the kunai into the top of his restrained hand. His screams filled the room, followed by Ibiki's laugh.

“It isn't so hard, Ibiki-sensei.” Akurei lied as she jerked the blade out of his hand, hoping Ibiki didn’t notice the cold sweat on her brow and the way her heart seemed to be pounding in her own throat. The man let out another scream, but his voice barely had any strength left. Ibiki turned and took a small metal object off the wall, thrusting it into Akurei's empty hand. She took the tongs and looked at him quizzically, at eye-level from her spot standing on the table. “What is this for?” She felt a jolt of panic from herself. She should have known Ibiki wouldn’t have been satisfied with something so simple as a stab wound in a non-lethal area.

“It's to hold his tongue while you cut it out.” Ibiki said casually, as if discussing the weather.

“Don't you need him to talk?” Akurei asked, hoping the answer would save her from having to do something so reprehensible. But she knew better.

“No, this one is useless now. He's just practice for you.” Ibiki nodded towards the man. Akurei looked back down at him. He had clamped his jaws closed tightly. “He won't let you do it easily,” Ibiki's grin widened. Akurei frowned at the man. She didn't particularly want to do something so disgustingly abhorrent, but what choice did she have?

She took a second to think. She could suffocate him until he opened his mouth, and jam something between his teeth when he took a breath. But she didn't like that idea. It took too much effort, and she would be risking getting bitten. She wondered what Ibiki would do. Would he use force? She honestly had no idea. He was definitely strong enough to, and probably would have had fun while doing it. But she didn't want to struggle for something like this. She didn’t even want to do it; the thought was making her a little sick. She took a deep breath to calm herself and tried to ignore the dizzy feeling that was slowly overcoming her. She couldn’t hesitate, she couldn’t be timid. The man would be dead soon, anyway. She inhaled deeply again, ignoring the dying man’s chakra and instead focusing on Ibiki’s swirling, strong, excited earth.

As much as she hated it she needed to be like Ibiki now. This was merely an obstacle to get to her goals, and the prisoner was an enemy anyway, so why was it so difficult? She pushed down all of her thoughts, her feelings and tried to mimic Ibiki’s chakra. She had spent so much time trying not to let herself become influenced by the emotions of others, but now she needed it. She needed Ibiki’s complete and utter lack of sympathy. She stepped her right foot over the man’s head and sat down on his chest, sighing exaggeratedly. She looked down at him, his terrified face between her feet. She had to be completely heartless and embrace the torturer’s cruelty.

“Eyes. Or tongue?” She asked. The man stared up at her, his wide eyes filled with terror and confusion. She stared at him, waiting for a response. He kept his mouth shut tight. Akurei put an elbow on her knee, leaning her chin against her hand and sighed. “Both, then.” She twirled the kunai between the fingers on her free hand then grabbed it by the handle, holding it just above the man's face. Slowly she lowered the tip towards his right eye.

“No!” He blurted, shutting his jaw immediately after, breathing through clenched teeth. “ _Please_...” His eyes filled with tears. “ _Please._..” His voice cracked again as he begged. He was already past his breaking point, Akurei thought as she watched him. For a second she felt another wave of guilt and horror. Ibiki was right, there was something different about hurting someone so broken already. She tried to shake the thought out of her mind as she grabbed his jaw with her left hand, readying the right above his eye.

A frigid chill ran up her spine and she froze, eyes still locked with the prisoner. Something suddenly felt horribly wrong; she wanted to throw up, her body was suddenly cold and wet. This feeling was totally different than the sick feeling guilt had given her. This felt wrong, like she was about to feel pain from an unseen hostile force. Her head shot to Ibiki, then to where Ibiki was looking. There was a small metal vent near the ceiling, the only place air flowed from in this cement room. Something was leaking from it.

Akurei squinted, unable to identify the substance. Was it blood? Something thick squished through the thin grates, concealing the vent completely as it slid heavily down the wall. Large chunks fell from it, something slimy hitting the ground with a wet thud. Akurei stared with wide eyes, her hand still frozen above the prisoner. Whatever was leaking into the room wasn't showing signs of stopping.

A thick mass had accumulated on the ground beneath the vent. It almost looked like it was moving, she thought. But that had to be a trick from the dim lighting. The pile squirmed and pulsed like maggots inside a pile of gore. Akurei blinked hard, trying to force the visual to make some kind of sense. It started to grow upward, as if trying to stand. The squirming mass began to take the shape of a man. Akurei's jaw dropped. The pile was definitely an impossible number of tiny bugs climbing on top of each other as it grew taller and taller.

A man stepped from the shadows where the bugs had just been. His clothes were skin-tight and black leather, covering his entire body. There were silver buckles lining the front of his jacket. He wore tall black boots laced up to his mid-calf, and even his hands were covered by thin black gloves. Around his neck was a thick dark-colored scarf that concealed his face up to his nose. He wore the same round sunglasses that Akurei had always seen whenever she caught a glimpse of this man. Aburame Shinzo.

“Pardon the intrusion.” He spoke. It was the first time she had ever heard his voice. It was somehow deep but also not, a little raspy and intensely menacing. Akurei got another chill down her spine from just hearing it. She had once thought Ibiki's voice was intimidating, but this made him sound friendly. “Please, continue.” His words were slow and drawn-out, and sounded almost as if he were smiling behind that scarf. Akurei's mouth was suddenly very dry.

“Captain,” Ibiki said, standing at attention. Shinzo didn't acknowledge him, but Akurei had a feeling that he still required this much respect shown to him at all times. She could feel the annoyance in Ibiki's chakra despite him trying to conceal it. She wondered if Shinzo could feel it, too.

Akurei tried to tear her gaze away from the intruder and back down to the prisoner, but was finding it difficult. He stood unnaturally still, and something about his chakra made Akurei feel like there were bugs crawling all over her skin, like she was in cold water as icy hands grabber her and tried to pull her down deeper. It was unsettling being so close to him, and every instinct she had was telling her to get as far away from him as possible.

She took a deep breath and forced herself to look back at the man beneath her. She hadn't realized that her hands were trembling until now. Angry with herself, she shoved the kunai down. She was surprised to feel not only resistance, but the eye almost being pushed to the side. It didn't feel at all like flesh that splits open, or a blade's path redirected by bones when stabbed in certain places. Akurei forced herself not to cringe as she continued to push the blade slowly as the man screamed in agony. The eye was moving freely in the socket, bulging out to make room for the large foreign object. It squished near the opening, misshapen and red. She reached with her free hand and grabbed the eye and pulled.

Again she was surprised at the amount of resistance holding the eye in place, as if tethered securely to the back of the socket. She pulled harder, until she hear the horrific sounds of flesh tearing and the eye was free. She held it in her hand, this bloody mass of white and red connected to what looked like red wires. The man was screaming, on the verge of passing out. The hole left in his head was deep and filling with blood. Quickly she tossed the eye to the ground, reaching with her bloody hand to the tongs and jammed them into his mouth as he screamed. Ibiki chuckled as she fished around in his mouth, scraping teeth he was trying to keep shut against the metal object.

Suddenly the awful feeling she had when Shinzo first arrived returned, but a thousand times worse. It felt like time had stopped, the man's screams distorted and strange. Her body felt impossibly cold, something was touching her, it was all over her skin and she couldn't move.

“ _Don't... look... at his eyes. Akurei!”_ Ibiki spat angrily through clenched teeth. What was he talking about? He only had one eye now anyway. No, he didn't mean the prisoner. Why were her thoughts moving so slowly? She stared down at the man and his face become blurry. Why didn't she feel Ibiki's chakra anymore? She moved her eyes agonizingly slowly to the ground, to Shinzo and Ibiki's feet. Neither had moved, but Ibiki was breathing hard. Her gaze traveled up Shinzo's thin legs, stopping at his waist. His arms were at his side, in one of his hands were his sunglasses.

He stepped slowly towards Ibiki, whose legs were shaking with effort to move. But he knew it was pointless. He would have been a little proud that his captain wasn't holding back for Akurei, meaning he was taking her seriously. But his anger was overpowering that.

Akurei could feel his rage burning; he wasn't trying to conceal his feelings anymore. She had never seen Ibiki this angry before. He faced Shinzo with pure hatred, with a heat that Akurei knew meant he would have killed him if he could. But for some reason he couldn't move.

Shinzo stopped just in front of Ibiki, uncomfortably close to his face. The two men were almost the same height, but Shinzo was a bit taller than the muscular, broad-shouldered Ibiki. Standing next to him made Shinzo look even skinnier. Despite that, his presence was more horrifying and threatening than she had ever felt from a human.

“Thank you for bringing me the girl. Your services are not needed at the moment.” As Shinzo spoke Akurei had to actively focus not to raise her eyes anywhere near this man's face. If only a look could incapacitate Ibiki, she didn't want to find out how that was possible. She watched their legs, listening to the smooth yet sharp and rough voice of Shinzo. His voice was like nails on a chalkboard. It almost felt like something scraping inside her head. He reached into his pocket and took something out. It was a small glass vial. Akurei stared at the cloudy liquid inside as he pulled the cap off to reveal a short needle.

“ _You have got to be fucking kidding me,_ ” Ibiki growled, teeth still clenched. Akurei thought she felt something like fear through his anger. Ibiki was breathing heavily, his chakra weak and out of control. She had never sensed anything like this from him before.

“I could give it to the girl, instead.” Shinzo said. Akurei felt something like satisfaction from him. He was definitely smiling under that scarf. Ibiki forced out a hoarse laugh.

“ _The second you look away from me... I'll kill you._ ” He snarled, his lips curling into a furious, manic grin. Akurei didn't know which of the two was the most insane, and she desperately wanted to be anywhere else.

“That is insubordination.” Shinzo said flatly, his satisfaction only rising. He reached his hand up and out of Akurei's view. She couldn't risk looking so close to their faces. Akurei heard Ibiki grunt out in pain as Shinzo jammed the needle into his neck. “Girl, I want you to see it first, before I do it to you.” His pitch seemed to rise with elation, but his voice was still scratchy and distressing to hear. “I made this myself. It's a mixture of poisons from my wasps. We only use it in extreme cases of torture. Part of it causes paralysis and hallucinations, the other half gives you such pain you'd wish you were dead. It has a one hundred percent success rate.”

Akurei watched the two men's legs, her head down, her body trembling and cold. Ibiki's legs were shaking horribly, his knees buckling. She was terrified; she couldn't have made a sound if she tried. Her eyes wandered up higher and flickered up to Shinzo’s face before she could stop herself. She only saw his eyes for a second before she squeezed her own shut. His irises were pure white and blended into the whites of his eyes, leaving only two small pupils that pierced into Ibiki’s. Akurei was terrified and he hadn’t even been looking at her. Luckily he seemed capable of using his eyes on only one target at a time.

“ _That... doesn't affect... me..._ ” Ibiki was struggling to talk, his words starting to slur together. He was audibly trying to hold in screams. Akurei felt a tightening in her chest. She kept forgetting to breathe.

“Pain might not bother you much, but that doesn't mean it's ineffective. And I don't think this is the kind of pain you can tolerate. Remember?” Shinzo asked tauntingly. Ibiki was struggling to stay on his feet, his knees giving in. He looked like he was about to fall forward when Shinzo reached out with a gloved hand and shoved him gently in the chest. Ibiki fell backwards and hit the ground hard, the back of his head hitting the stone floor with a thud. He hadn't been able to even try to break his fall. He lie on the ground completely limp, his arms out at his sides. The look on his face made Akurei want to cry. It switched between contorted in agony and weirdly relaxed and absent, his eyes rolling back in his head every few seconds. Slowly his jaw released, his head moving slightly as he tried to fight the poison. His chest rose and fell rapidly as he breathed heavily and hoarsely.

Akurei stared in horror at her sensei, fighting the urge to look back up at the man who had incapacitated him and was now a threat to her. She knew his creepy eyes were on her now. She couldn't feel Ibiki's chakra at all anymore; whatever Shinzo had done to him had completely wiped it out. There was nothing left; he felt empty. Akurei's eyes darted to the man's boots as he took a slow step towards her. She had forgotten that she was sitting on the prisoner still. He had passed out at some point during the altercation. She dropped the tongs to the ground with a clatter and scrambled backwards to the opposite edge of the table.

Before she had made it off the table Shinzo's hand shot at her faster than Akurei was ready for. Her eyes squeezed shut as he grabbed her around the neck, jerking her body towards him and clear off the table. He held her out, her feet dangling. No air could pass through his grip. She grabbed uselessly at his wrist, her mouth gaping open in a futile attempt to breathe, her legs kicking the air.

“Look at me, girl.” Akurei couldn't hear anything but her heart pounding. She squeezed her eyes shut as hard as she could, feeling her body getting weaker by the second. She had to do something before she either passed out or he found another syringe for her. But she couldn't hope to fight him. She reached with her chakra to Ibiki. She had no other ideas than to ask for his help, somehow.

Shinzo said something, but it was muffled, all she could hear was the blood pounding in her ears. She reached with everything she had to Ibiki, jamming her lightning into his empty system. Having no chakra there must have been excruciating even without the poison coursing through his veins. She felt bad for hurting him more, but she needed him to get up. She tried to say his name but no air moved at all. Her hands were barely grasping Shinzo's wrist, her whole body weak. It was becoming a struggle to even keep her eyes closed.

She could feel his entire system, her chakra flowing through every inch of it. She tried to force him to stand, to maybe shock him enough that he could move again. But he remained limp on the ground, his eyes unfocused and rolling. She felt herself fading. With everything she had she pushed once more.

She felt something twitch. His arm. She had somehow forced his muscle to contract. She did it again, throwing what was left of her chakra into him. He moved a leg, then his other arm. Shinzo hadn't noticed until it was too late. Suddenly Ibiki was on his feet, Shinzo's thin wrist gripped tightly in one of Ibiki's huge hands. The shock made him release Akurei just enough that her weight pulled her out of his grip, Ibiki keeping Shinzo's arm in place. She hit the ground and collapsed, gasping for breath as her senses slowly returned. She scrambled away from him, crawling on the ground until she was against the wall. Ibiki lost his grip, his arm hanging at his side as he fell limply onto his back again, his expression vacant. She wasn't even sure if he was aware of what had just happened.

Shinzo shook out his wrist, lifting his other hand to his face and putting the sunglasses back on. Akurei accidentally glanced at his face, and shot her eyes away before she realized that his eyes were concealed once more. She looked back up at him, her entire body shaking violently. She couldn't see his face, but his chakra felt pleased.

“How did you...?” He asked, looking down at her with fascination. “No matter. I think you will make an interesting addition to my team...” He said, his voice deeper than usual. He reached into his pocket and removed another small vial, this one with clear liquid inside. He tossed it to Akurei, who barely caught it with shaking hands. “That's the antidote. The pain won't stop until you give him that. But you can do that later, if you'd like. I give you permission to do whatever you want to your teacher. Whatever you do, he cannot penalize you for. I will make sure that is known. My only requirement is that you do not permanently interfere with his performance on my team in the future.” Shinzo spoke calmly. It took Akurei a few moments to realize what he was suggesting. He wanted her to torture Ibiki. If he hated the man so much, why did he allow Ibiki to work for him?

“Can I save that offer for later?” Akurei said, her voice not as steady as she would have preferred. Shinzo laughed slightly, a strange and deep sound.

“No.” He said before turning and heading towards the door. Akurei was in disbelief that the nightmare was over, but he was putting more space in between them. She let out a breath. “It's a one-time offer. When you are finished, tell him he is to report to me. If he doesn't need a doctor.” Shinzo said as he opened the large metal door and left, closing it behind him.

Akurei stared at the door for a few moments, half expecting him to slither back in somehow. Ibiki's strained breathing snapped her back into reality. The cold, crawling feeling of Shinzo's chakra was finally fading. She scrambled over to where Ibiki lie on the ground, the vial clutched in one hand. She knelt next to him, feeling strangely guilty for his current state. He never showed any signs of pain in his summon, where he felt all of the torture of his victim. But that pained look on his face had scared her immensely. She grabbed his face with both of her hands and tried to turn him so he was facing her, but his eyes never met hers. They moved lazily, looking at things she couldn’t see, but the rest of him was completely paralyzed. She tried to calm herself as she took the cap off the syringe.

She paused. She didn't really want to hurt Ibiki, she knew. She didn't have to think about it more than that. She stuck the needle into his neck and pushed the small plunger. Once it was empty she tossed it to the side. It clinked somewhere near the discarded eyeball. She watched his face but couldn't stop shaking. She didn't know if it was fear or feeling cold being on the cement floor, or both. She scooted closer to his huge body until she was sitting between his side and his arm. She leaned her back against his chest, pulling his arm onto her lap. She felt warmer where his body was against hers, but still she was shaking.

She didn't keep track of how long she held his arm against her. She stared at the wall blankly, not even feeling like she was still in the room. She was pulled back into her consciousness when Ibiki groaned, his body moving slightly. He didn't seem to be in control of his body yet, but had regained a little bit of movement. His arm twitched slightly, then his fingers. Akurei turned to look at his face. His eyes were squeezed shut, tears running down his temples.

“ _Rei, give me..._ ” His voice barely sounded like it was forming words. He said something else but she couldn't understand. His body was becoming increasingly tenser as the paralytic agent wore off. His arm that was on her lap squeezed her in the crook of his elbow, his fingers grasping at nothing. “ _My blood... it hurts..._ ” Akurei wasn't sure if she heard him correctly. She was getting scared seeing him like that. He continued to reach for something, but his hand wasn't anywhere close to her.

While she was distracted trying to figure out what his right hand was doing, something grabbed her by the hair and pulled her across his body. She shouted in surprise as her arms reached up instinctively to the unseen attack. His left hand held her hair by the roots and didn't let go, her head and upper body pressed against his chest, his right arm still trapping her lower half. Even though he was still half-paralyzed she couldn't manage to open the fingers that were wrapped around the roots of her hair and was just trying to keep him from ripping it out.

“Stop!” She shouted at him, grabbing his left hand with both of hers. His left arm continued to pull, forcing her small body to slide out from under the weight of his arm. She twisted around to try to get some leverage, her elbows now digging into his chest. Finally she realized what he was trying to get to. His right hand reached into the bag on her hip, pulling out one kunai as another clattered to the floor. He let go of her hair and brought his hands together over her, jamming the kunai into his left palm. It pierced straight through and out the other side.

Akurei was now trapped beneath both of his arms, unintentionally squeezed against his chest as he stabbed himself. But it was only for a moment; once he had shoved the kunai into his hand he relaxed immediately, his arms falling to his sides. His entire body had been tensed and shaking, she could tell now that he was so still. His rapid breaths began to slow now that he had pain he could comprehend to focus on.

Akurei sat on her knees between his torso and his right arm again, her hair disheveled and eyes wide. Blood began to pool around his left hand, the kunai sticking straight up. She felt his right arm moving again. His fingertips slid along the ground, feeling for something. There was a metallic sound as he touched the other kunai, struggling to grab the handle with his limited dexterity. Akurei reached out and snatched it.

“Ibiki-sensei, stop it!” She said with a shaky voice. His eyes were open wide now, staring at her with the same murderous rage he had shown to Shinzo. His jaw was clenched tightly, his teeth bared and expression more crazed than she had ever seen. Tears kept streaming down his temples, foamy saliva dripping out of his mouth with each ragged breath. She was almost as scared of him in that state as she was of Shinzo. But the captain's threats were meticulous and cunning, whereas Ibiki more resembled a rabid animal. Either one was more than capable of killing her.

She scrambled backwards and out of his reach while he shouted in wordless frustration. Slowly he pushed himself onto his right side, turning over as he attempted to crawl towards her. He slammed his left hand into the ground, causing the kunai to be pushed through it up to the handle. His fingers bent and moved in unnatural ways as the bones of his hand were smashed to pieces. But he hardly seemed to notice.

She panicked, knowing that she had no idea how to heal a wound that bad. Someone would have to do it soon, or he could risk permanent damage. She sat on the ground and watched him writhe in agony as he struggled to pull the weight of his body towards her. His legs didn't seem to be working at all yet, his hands and arms doing all of the work.

“Ibiki-sensei, what are you doing?!” Akurei said, her eyes filling with tears. She clutched the kunai in her shaking hands as her teacher's eyes wandered to his deformed hand. He almost seemed excited rather than shocked as he grabbed the kunai by the blade and finished pulling it through the top of his hand, leaving a gory hole in the center of his palm.

“ _I have to cut it out..._ ” He was muttering something to himself, she could just barely make out the words.

“Cut what out?” She asked, watching in horror as he slumped over onto his side, leaning on his left shoulder. His left hand flopped uselessly to the ground while he raised the kunai over it again.

“ _The blood,”_ He was delusional. Akurei jumped to her feet, dropping her kunai to the ground. She grabbed his arm just before he jammed the blade into his hand again, potentially cutting off his own fingers. She knew he wouldn't stop, he would keep hacking away at his arm until he couldn't anymore. She had no idea why, but she knew how this could potentially end without her intervention.

Even at only a fraction of his normal strength it was still a challenge for her to wrestle the kunai out of his hand. She pushed him onto his back and sat on his arm to keep it still while she pried his finger off of the steel. His left hand wouldn't be a problem anymore, he had made sure of that. She could focus on his one good arm. Once she had removed the weapon from his possession, she turned back to look at him again. His eyes were staring at nothing, unfocused and bloodshot.

“Ibiki-sensei... are you ok?” She asked, not sure what else to say. He didn't respond. Her heart sunk into her stomach, her eyes filling up with tears as she watched his face. She knew nothing about the poison Shinzo had given him, but the effects were terrifying. Someone as strong as Ibiki still would have killed himself to stop the pain, and that was after she had given him the antidote. The only good thing was the paralytic made him weak enough for her to be able to overpower him. Whatever horrors he was hallucinating she didn't want to know. She wished desperately for the antidote to work faster.

She sat by his side for what felt like ages as his breathing slowly settled into an even pace. He hadn't tried to move again. He hadn't so much as twitched again as a large pool of blood formed under his left hand. She was worried to leave his good arm unattended in case he decided to grab her with it, but the amount of blood that he was losing was too worrying to ignore. She crawled over him to his left side and examined the wound. It was much worse than she thought. The gaping hole, splintered bones and red gore made her panic a little.

“Ibiki-sensei, I can't heal that...” She stood and quickly gathered each stray kunai, shoving them back in her bag. She had to get help. Maybe Shimon or Tonbo were upstairs. She ran to the door and grabbed the handle but it didn’t budge from the frame. She pulled as hard as she could, but it didn't so much as shift in the air-tight frame. It was locked from the outside.

“I have one final request,” A raspy, sinister voice came from behind her. The cold, crawling feeling hit her like a wave. She turned around, her back against the door, every hair on her body standing on edge. Shinzo was standing near Ibiki, but his head was pointed at her. Luckily he had not removed his sunglasses again. Akurei felt frozen in place, unable to make a sound.

Akurei glanced down to Ibiki when she saw him try to move. His face didn't look pained anymore, but it did look furious. He glared up at the captain with raw hatred as he tried feebly to get up. Shinzo reached into his pocket and pulled out another small vial, completely ignoring the man beneath him. He tossed it to Akurei. She caught it; when she examined it she wished she had dropped it. There was cloudy liquid inside, almost identical to the one Shinzo had injected Ibiki with.

“That one is for you. Take it, and I will heal Ibiki's hand.” Akurei's stomach dropped. Ibiki's face reached a new level of rage.

“ _No_.” He roared, his voice tired but its’ power returning. He pushed himself onto his side, his left arm limp on the ground as he held up all his weight with the right. “That isn't an option… I'd rather lose the hand.” His eyes darted to Akurei's terrified face. “Drop it, now.” Akurei was shaking again. She felt something hot and wet in her mouth. She hadn't realized she was biting her lip so hard. The sudden realization brought some of her senses back, pushed the cold away.

“If you drop it, I will personally remove each of his fingers one by one.” Shinzo said, his tone slightly bored, yet somehow still she knew he was smiling.

“How do I know you won't do that anyway...? Or... that you'd heal him?” Akurei said, her voice barely a whisper.

“You have my word. I don't _want_ to make my subordinate less effective at his job. But I do want to examine his star pupil.” He said with a certain arrogance that both angered and frightened her. He didn't seem like the type to bluff. She looked at the vial in her hand, weighing her options.

“Akurei, if you take that shit you will have to answer to _me_! I am your teacher, not him! You take orders from _me!_ ” Ibiki's voice boomed. Her teacher was breathing heavily, his voice ragged and a fear in his eyes she had never seen. Her heart was pounding in her ears, her throat pinched and mouth dry. “Put it the _fuck down! That's an order!_ ” His voice was so loud it made her jump. She had never been yelled at by him like this.

“He might be your teacher, but I am your captain.” Shinzo said smugly. Akurei's eyes darted from her incapacitated sensei to the tall, lanky man standing over him. “I have no need for one who cannot follow my orders.” Shinzo said as he lifted his foot slightly, pivoting on his heel until his toes were above Ibiki's mangled hand. He slowly pushed down with his toes. Akurei heard a crunch and something like a cross between a growl and a shout from Ibiki. It sounded more frustrated than pained. Akurei felt tears run down her cheeks.

“I'm sorry, Ibiki-sensei,” She whispered, taking the cap off the syringe. As he yelled one more time for her to stop she jammed the needle into her arm and pushed the plunger with her thumb. She threw the empty glass vial, her eyes squeezed shut. Shinzo removed his foot from Ibiki's hand. It only took a few moments for her to fall to the ground and stop moving. She was face-down, so Ibiki couldn't see her eyes. But he didn't need to. He looked up at Shinzo.

“What did you give her?” He said, his anger subsiding only slightly. Shinzo squatted down next to Ibiki and picked up his crushed hand, holding it gently in both of his as he began to heal.

“She's only asleep. I just wanted to see what she would do. I will not tolerate anything like the other one.” He said sternly as he bent Ibiki's fingers back into a normal position. He pressed hard with the tip of his fingers on the outside of the hand, trying to realign the small bones. “How do you find them?”

“That one’s different,” Ibiki grunted, not trying to hide his annoyance.

“I require not only loyalty to you, Ibiki. This team doesn't belong to you.” Shinzo said, pushing his sunglasses back up the bridge of his nose with a bloody, gloved finger.

“Not yet, anyway.” Ibiki snapped back. “I will kill you one day.” Ibiki snarled.

“Yes, I know. But not today.”


	7. The Return

Over two years had passed since Kakashi left. Akurei still couldn’t believe it sometimes. Maybe he had died. Maybe he simply wasn’t coming back. Akurei was beginning to forget the feel of his chakra.

Sasuke had been training with her and Itachi more and more the past few months. A lot of the time he merely watched. Akurei didn’t mind; in fact, she found herself trying even harder when he was around. She wanted to impress her friend. When Sasuke did train, he mainly used Akurei as target practice. That suited her fine, for she needed to train her dodging skills. Physically, she was weak; she wouldn’t lie to herself. One or two well-placed hits could be all it took to take her out, and she knew it. There was a solution to this, however. She would become unhittable. She was small and quick; if she trained hard enough, no one could touch her. The thought satisfied her for the time being.

When they trained, Sasuke would send a barrage of kunai or fireball jutsu at her. His fire was becoming quite impressive, and although Akurei wouldn’t admit it, it sometimes scared her. A kunai was easy to dodge; fire was not. It had only burned her once, but the pain was so intense that she swore she would never let it happen again.

Akurei practiced using her lightning when she dodged. She possessed the quickest of the elements, something that she would need to harness to become truly untouchable. She had perfect control of it, but Itachi had suggested finding new ways to use it to her advantage. She tried shooting bolts down through her own legs as she jumped, hoping it would act as a spring and propel her. It had worked, but wasted valuable chakra. That method was not reliable, for she didn’t have much chakra to waste. She preferred a different method.

She could now sense her chakra tendrils, and control how many were out at once. They were even able to get almost as thin as hair, she thought. But no matter how thin they felt, Itachi always told her they could be thinner. She came up with the idea once she realized that she had to grip the ground extra-hard when reeling in one of the chakra arms at a rapid pace. What if she let go of the ground, or even pushed off with her feet? She could drag herself using her own chakra, in theory. She hadn’t been able to do it well, but it sounded good in her head. If anything, it only offered a minor speed boost with no chakra cost. But if she could learn to pull her tendrils in as quickly as lightning struck, perhaps she could use that momentum to pull her away from danger just as quickly?

She jumped through the trees, searching. As part of her training, she was to locate Itachi somewhere in the forest beyond Konoha. This was much easier than trying to locate him inside Konoha, and she was thankful for the change of pace. Instead of trying to pinpoint his chakra in a city, which could get tricky with all of the Uchiha and plethora of strong Jounin to sift through, she was to search for miles and miles- there were no boundaries. The last time they played this game it had taken her three days. Sasuke had been annoyed that he was left out for so long.

But just because she was training didn’t mean she couldn’t practice her lightning dashes. It felt unsteady, every now and then she would pull in a tendril and quick as she could and lurch forward. She couldn’t do too many in a row, but the long hours this training required was perfect to spread out her attempts. She yanked in another tendril, but because they always went into her core she was off-balance, as if something were jerking her forward, some invisible string from her chest. Her landing was off and she missed her targeted branch, falling to the ground awkwardly. She had to get her body better prepared; as of now she was literally just jerking herself around. It would have looked humorous to anyone watching.

An idea struck her: what if at the same time she pulled a chakra arm in, she thrust that returned chakra right back out behind her? Would that give her a push? She decided to try it, getting a little over-ambitious. She hadn’t found Itachi yet; she should be conserving her energy for the long days ahead. But trying out her new idea was too tempting. She jumped back into the braches above. The only way to tell if she was doing it right was to plan exactly where she would land. If she missed, she would fall again.

A pull, and a push; she flung herself far, but not as far as she meant to. Her timing was way off, and her push not exactly straight; she crashed right into a tree. Her eyes were closed as she fell, hitting the branches on the way down until the earth stopped her. There was a painful jolt in her left shoulder.

“ _Kuchiyuse no Jutsu!_ ” A voice growled from behind her as a sudden chakra flared up like a vortex of power. How had she not sensed that?

Something grabbed her arms, something cold and hard. Chains. She heard chains. So she hadn’t even noticed him sneak up on her, she had been so distracted with her new idea. But what was he doing? She wasn’t in line for another punishment. Her interrogations had been flawless the past few months.

Her arms were wrenched away from her, her body jerked off the ground roughly. She was suspended by the chains that continued to wrap tighter and tighter around her, until breathing became a struggle they were woven so forcefully around her torso. The shoulder she had just landed on felt the pulling much worse than the other. But of course he knew that.

“Is this part of your training, Rei-chan? To beat yourself up until you find Itachi? I like it!” He cackled. Akurei was now completely inside of his torture chamber, the metal bars locking them in together. Beyond the cage was total darkness, despite the fact that it was daytime. Akurei sighed.

“Ibiki-sensei, what are you doing? I haven’t done anything to deserve a punishment,” Ibiki frowned at her words.

“Doubting me like that deserves punishment!”

“I wouldn’t have doubted you if you hadn’t punished me. That’s a mean trap, sensei.”

“And you fell for it.” He chuckled, quite amused. Akurei scowled. He loved tricking her, and scolding her when she didn't figure it out fast enough. She had been in the iron maiden a few times, but never had she been the one hung up in the chains of the torture chamber. She knew better than to try and struggle, she had watched countless fugitives try and it only caused more pain. So she stayed as still as she could, hoping that Ibiki couldn’t feel how nervous she was. Her heart was racing. She knew he felt that. “I think you’re old enough to undergo a special kind of training. What are you now, four?”

“You know I’m eight. You gave me a present on my birthday-“ Ibiki waved the air jokingly as if to ward off her words as trifle. He still liked to tease, but she secretly enjoyed it.

“This punishment serves a secondary purpose. As a member of the Torture and Interrogation Force, you will be targeted; there is no doubt about that. You have seen things, heard things that are confidential. So tell me, what would you do if you were caught?” Both his face and his chakra shifted; he was serious. Akurei’s heart sank into her stomach. “Could you withstand the same torture we use to extract information?” Ibiki's chakra was suffocating and strong, something that used to make her feel powerful when they were on the same side. Now it terrified her.

She wanted to scream as she felt her skin ripping. She was still too young to be completely involved with any high-ranked prisoners, and was accustomed to hearing only bits of information. Never the full story. What information could she possibly have? The more she felt herself panic, the more intense Ibiki's chakra became. She knew he enjoyed torture, but why did he seem to be enjoying hers? Her mind was racing. Logically she understood his words but still it didn't make sense. He was her mentor, he was supposed to protect her. So why was he looking at her like he wanted to see her suffer?

She felt a hot, pinching, almost stabbing pain in her chest. Her throat burned and somehow felt both tight and too open. She couldn't control her breath at all. Even her eyes were burning.

“You are alone outside of Konoha, and you let yourself get captured. What if it hadn't been me?” His deep voice boomed inside the small metal enclosure. She gnashed her teeth as she felt the chains digging deeper into her flesh. She could feel warm blood dripping down her arms, but she didn't dare look. The chains were so embedded into her flesh that the blood seemed to pulse out of her in rhythm with her racing heartbeat. “What you were just doing was quite silly. You were so caught up in yourself that you didn’t even notice me. How does that happen? You are a sensory-type, are you not?” His tone was getting scarier by the second. She knew from experience that his threats were always real, and right now he was threatening her.

Akurei couldn't force out a response. The chains around her kept slowly tightening, the ones around her legs and torso beginning to tear through her clothes. She knew Ibiki was manipulating the gears below her dangling feet with his chakra. She also knew that his chakra was not fire-based. So why did it feel like she was being burned alive?

Either the chains were so cold that it burned, or her own body was pumping adrenaline, trying in vain to force her to run, to fight, anything. It was throwing her senses into absolute disorder. Her shallow breaths were not doing much to keep her body in a stable place. She was panicking, she knew it, but she couldn’t stop it. She had watched this happen to so many people she thought she would know exactly how to handle it, but in reality she knew nothing. Staying calm was simply not an option.

“How can I count on you to detect a lie if you can't even detect if an enemy is near?” Ibiki said, staring her down with a rage he saved for prisoners. Akurei felt her eyes fill with tears. He took a step towards her. She felt her body trying to cringe, to flinch away, but she couldn't move an inch. “What do you add to my team, if you can't even manage that?” She heard a slow, steady dripping noise on the ground beneath her. Her arms were bleeding freely, her entire body throbbing as her circulatory system struggled to pump blood through the unbearable pressure of the chains. Perhaps it was in her head, but the blood seeping from the gashes in her arms seemed to be squeezing out much faster than a normal wound. The thought sent a wave of panic and dizziness through her.

“Let’s play a game.” Ibiki said, his suffocating chakra flaring with a sort of sadistic amusement. She knew by now what each subtle twitch in his chakra meant, each change of speed or fervor. The knowledge that he was enjoying himself hurt in a way she hadn't expected. “You tell me what you were just doing when you were too busy to notice me, and I won't kick you off the Force.” He spoke with finality, his lips curling into a slight smirk. His eyes never left hers. He watched her terror with satisfaction.

Akurei tried to speak but all that came out was a frustrated and scared growl through clenched teeth. One of her pant legs ripped open and the sudden slashing of her left leg caused her growl to turn into a scream. She tried to force it down, but once the sound had forced itself from her lungs she couldn't stop it. The chains tightened and pulled out to the sides with such force she thought the flesh would be ripped from her bones. Her left shoulder felt like her entire arm might be pulled right off her body.

“ _No!_ ” She managed to form her shouts into a word at last. It was much harder than she ever could have imagined. Even if she hadn't been ready for the torture, she at least knew how to play his game. If she told him anything he asked she would fail this mock interrogation. She tried to keep reasoning this way, to think logically, but couldn't stop feeling betrayed. She felt tears run down her cheeks.

“Trying out a new move, perhaps? It wasn’t very good.” Ibiki teased. He was grinning widely, enjoying prodding at her.

“ _Obviously._.. _I was... dancing_.” She spat the words harsher than she meant to between strained breaths. But at least she managed to form her screams into words. The pulling of the chains was unbearable; she heard a pop next to her left ear. Her shoulder was just dislocated. She screamed louder as a deep pain shot up her neck and down her left arm, making the entire thing feel numb all the way to her fingertips. Ibiki roared with laughter.

“You’ve got pretty big balls for such a little girl!” His expression was absolutely manic with pleasure. Is this what it had looked like every time he interrogated someone? How had she never seen it before? Maybe it was the fear tainting her interpretation. “I’ve met too many ninja who enjoy dishing it out in the interrogation room, but when it comes to being interrogated themselves, they fail.” Akurei was barely able to focus on his words. She felt dizzy and nauseous, like she was floating underwater; the heat she had felt before was being washed away with cold as she lost more blood. “There is a lot of valuable information to learn while interrogating. Like I said, this makes you a target. And you are so small, so terribly unimposing… Perhaps the smallest one will become the biggest target.” Ibiki said the words as if threatening her. He was unaffected by her cries that had turned into sobs while he spoke.

Right when she thought maybe he would start to release her, his lesson being explained, there was a sharp pain in her side as more of her clothing was torn and the chains slashed her skin again. The throbbing pain in her left shoulder only continued as it was pulled even further out of alignment.

“ _Stop!!_ ” She screamed. Slowly she realized that he had no intention of stopping. She thought about the prisoners they had, how they were tortured for days. The knowledge made her panic even more. She had to do something before she was completely unable to help herself. Through her cries and gasps for air she forced her eyes to watch his. Her vision was blurry with tears, but she didn't need to see him well to know how excited he was. It was all reflected in his chakra.

Chakra. She had to do something. There was no way she was physically getting out of this, but what could she do with her chakra? It was why she had been training for so long with Itachi. The chains tightened more and Akurei couldn't stop screaming. She squeezed her eyes shut again, causing more tears to run down her cheeks. She didn't need to see him anyway. But she felt him take another slow step towards her. She felt his hand grab her face gently. She felt even smaller; he could have easily crushed her skull with one hand. She forced her eyes open.

“You thought I was done? Poor Akurei, you should know better than that,” His voice sounded far away even though he was right in front of her. His words filled her with a hollow despair as more tears poured from her eyes. She was glad she still couldn't see him very well through the tears, she knew his expression would be upsetting. She choked back a sob and tried to focus.

What was his chakra doing? It was everywhere, on all sides of her, in the walls, in the chains that sliced her skin more and more with each passing second. But it was all coming from Ibiki, there was no other way he could maintain this jutsu. She had to disrupt it. But she had no idea what her own chakra was doing right now. That was part of his technique, part of the torture, to make one feel so helpless and at his mercy.

Annoyed it took her so long to figure it out, she reached for her lightning. The earth was stifling and made it hard for her to feel anything but pain, but she knew it was there. If only she had figured it out sooner, she wouldn't have been nearly as distracted by her own wounds. Trying to push the pain to the back of her mind and focus felt impossible. With her eyes closed she tried to pretend Ibiki wasn't standing in front of her, staring her down. She tried to ignore his dense chakra pressing on all sides and grab her own, wherever it had been pushed deep below the surface and just out of her reach.

But she felt a spark, a tiny sensation that was hers, and forced it out as much as she could. Ibiki had said something else, but he sounded far away as her pulse thumped in her ears. She had to get inside his chakra and disrupt it somehow. It was on all sides of her, and she was in too much pain to aim. Instead she pushed it from herself, each bolt of lightning shooting in a random direction, uncontrolled and wild. Even with her eyes closed she could see the flash illuminating the back of her eyelids for a split second.

But Ibiki wasn't weakened, he was hyper-focused and not at all fazed by her feeble attempts to take some semblance of control. Her chakra penetrated his, for it surrounded her, but all he had to do was keep it sturdy and watch her hurt herself. She screamed as the lightning discharged without the effect she had intended. Instead of forcing her power into his to try to interrupt it, she only realized the incredible difference in their strength. The sheer capacity he had versus her own was like comparing a pond to an ocean. She never had a chance to mess with his, there was simply too much of it. Or maybe there was too little left of hers.

Before the links broke, she had an idea. She could take his. Maybe if there was more of a balance between their powers, she could get the chains off her or use his own power against him somehow. She didn't have enough time to think of the details. Before her chakra disappeared completely she latched on to his and pulled with everything she had.

It only took her a second to regret it. His earth chakra hit her like a brick wall, crushing and overwhelming. She felt the wind knocked out of her as her screams turned into a losing battle to fight for breath. Her vision was turning white, first at the edges but quickly everywhere. The wave of cold that hit her was weird and empty-feeling. She couldn't hear her breath anymore.

Suddenly the chains went slack, dropping her limp body. She didn't have a chance to break her fall with her arms, but she wouldn't have been able to anyway. She wasn't sure what happened, maybe she blacked out. She was suddenly being held in Ibiki's arms, the blood-covered chains slithering away into the darkness. She couldn't move any of her limbs, her breaths quick and shallow gasps. There was a crushing pain in her chest, she felt strangely heavy. She heard a deep, distorted sound and realized Ibiki had said something again.

There was another few seconds she lost track of. She opened her eyes; her head was resting against Ibiki's chest as he held her. Everything hurt so much she couldn't just focus on one source. She felt her vision going dark again when Ibiki knelt down, holding Akurei with one arm as he grabbed her left shoulder with his free hand. He shoved it hard back into the socket with an audible pop. The pain was enough to make her gasp in the first full breath of air. She didn't even have enough strength left to scream.

She hyperventilated through sobs as she tried to get her arms working enough to push herself away from Ibiki. Her body didn't feel like it was hers; she couldn't even lift her arms. She couldn't even lift her head from his chest. She had no choice but to sit limply in his arms as he started to heal her.

She had passed out again, she concluded. When she opened her eyes she was breathing normally, her arms covered in dry blood but the wounds were gone. Mostly. Through the dark-colored blood she could see long, thin white scars in a spiral-pattern where the chains had been. She tried to look around, but still was finding it difficult to move. Her chakra system felt like it was clogged with something, something foreign inside it, making her body feel motionless and petrified. She had taken Ibiki's earth chakra, but why couldn't she control it at all? She felt almost blind, unable to sense anything around her at all.

She realized she was sitting, even though Ibiki's arms held her against his chest. He was sitting, too, his back against the wall of his summon, Akurei sitting on his lap. A wave of residual fear washed over her as she remembered the pain he had just inflicted. She tried to sit up even though it was pointless, and eventually reigned herself to leaning against him. At least he seemed finished with his torture.

“I don’t think you’ll disappoint me, Rei-chan,” He said, but she was not able to focus on his words. He had a wide grin across his face. She tried to push his chakra out of her system but it sat there, stagnant and smothering. She felt herself holding back tears again but had no idea why. Her steady heartbeat began to rise, her breaths quickening. She stared at her arms again and started to cry. “You'll be fine, calm down.” His words were reassuring but the tone was just as stern and ominous as usual. He picked up one of her thin arms and held it out in front of her. She was trembling in his huge hand. “You should be proud of this, almost no one who gets these scars ever lives to tell about it!” He was extremely satisfied, and maybe even proud, but Akurei couldn't sense anything anymore. She was just glad that her cries were silent now.

Akurei stared into nothing, willing herself out of the room. She had no idea how long she had been zoning out. Perhaps she had fainted again. When she snapped back into her consciousness, the tears on her face were dry and she was breathing normally again. She was still against Ibiki's chest, but he was walking now. It was dark and chilly, shadowy trees surrounding them. Akurei felt an involuntary shiver and was glad to be pressed up against the warmth of Ibiki's chest. Suddenly he stopped walking.

“Akurei, your chakra... why would you go and do something like that?” Itachi said ponderously, coming towards them from the direction of the village. His crimson eyes watched Akurei. “A strict lightning element has no power over earth. The two are in direct opposition.” Itachi examined her chakra with curiosity as he approached. “Your natural flow does not seem to be compatible with the shape of the earth element. This is unsurprising. The earth element is the most stable and resilient, but also the hardest to master alongside another. I would refrain from borrowing it in the future.”

His expression changed as the shadows slowly undulated and he saw her body in the moonlight. She was covered in blood, her clothes torn to shreds. She hadn't even seemed to hear his words. Instead she stared straight ahead at nothing. He had never seen such a look on her face.

“Ibiki-san,” Itachi said, his voice deep and threatening. “What happened?” His stance shifted slightly as he stared down the large man with resentment. Ibiki only grinned.

“We had some special training today. So sorry to pull her out of yours.” His grin only widened. Itachi glared. “I’ll leave her to you, then, Itachi-kun.” Ibiki said tauntingly, handing her small body out to him. He grabbed her, cradling her against his chest. Her head rested against him limply, her expression blank. She seemed to not have even noticed. With a chuckle Ibiki disappeared.

“Akurei?” Itachi said, looking down at her. She didn’t respond. He sighed and quickly walked back towards the city. He needed to get her home, to assess the damage Ibiki had done. Physically she seemed ok, but the look on her face told a different story.

The Uchiha section of town was quiet, with only a few groups of people walking to bars or restaurants. He walked swiftly towards the apartment, but someone caught his eye. Itachi passed a group of three ninja; he could sense their power from a mile away. They never tried to tone it down. It was three high-ranking men in the Konoha Police Force, and they had obviously been drinking. The one in charge stepped towards him, looking with red eyes at the bloodied white-haired girl in Itachi’s arms. He raised an eyebrow.

“I'd hate to have you as my teacher, Itachi-san,” He said with a grin. The two men behind him laughed.

“I'm not sure you could handle it, Inabi.” Itachi said flatly and kept walking. He knew he shouldn't provoke the man, but he couldn't help himself. It was too easy to manipulate this one, and he had gotten arrogant since his promotion. That would be useful. Inabi had the reaction he expected, his fire chakra flaring up with anger. Itachi could feel Inabi's exposed chakra well; his reserve ran deep. He wanted to rip it all out right then, but restrained himself.

Itachi didn't want a fight now, as much as he was itching to put this one in his place. He ignored them and continued walking, making Akurei his priority for tonight. To his surprise, Inabi didn't follow him. He had expected alcohol to make that one even more impulsive, but he also took his position of power seriously. It was for the best that the conversation didn't continue, anyway. He would just have to look forward to what would happen to him soon.

Inside the apartment Itachi tried to get Akurei responsive. She still wouldn't acknowledge his words. He could only imagine what Ibiki had done to her. He tried to leave his chakra open for her to take it, but he couldn't even see her dark blue lightning through Ibiki's orangeish-tan veil. It was fascinating how earth chakra affected her. She would probably never be able to master this element, let alone use it. So it would always be her weakness, he mused. That would be useful to know.

“Itachi-sensei?” She finally spoke, looking up at him with wet eyes. He smiled. He could see her chakra starting to stir, trying weakly to push out Ibiki's from her system. He put her down on her feet. She was wobbly and used the table to steady herself.

“Go shower. Whatever Ibiki did, he did it to make you stronger, I'm sure. Once you're over the shock, you might even thank him,” Itachi said playfully. Akurei force a smile, but it didn’t reach her empty eyes.

Akurei closed the door to the bathroom. She was startled to see the reflection in the mirror. A dishevel stranger stared at her with tired, vacant eyes, her clothes ripped and covered in dry blood. How many minutes had she spent inside his summon? Or had it been hours? It somehow felt like both. She felt sorry for those who spent days inside it, having a new respect for any prisoner who managed to last that long.

She slowly undressed, dropping everything in a disgusting pile on the floor. Once she was under the hot water she stared down at her feet, watching the red swirling around the drain. She used her arms to steady herself, looking at them now that the blood was washing off. Either Ibiki wasn't good at healing, or he had intentionally left prominent scars on her body. She glanced down to her side, then her left leg. The scars there were even worse, raised slightly from the skin. She knew she should probably be annoyed at him but she felt nothing.

The whole day felt like an eternity and also a quick blur. How long had she really been trapped with Ibiki? She couldn't even guess, the memories already confusingly out of reach. But she had done something good, right? Ibiki has seemed pleased, at least. So that meant she had done something good.

Her thoughts were frustratingly confused. Should she be happy? Angry? Betrayed? Proud? She didn't feel any of those things. She didn't know what she felt. Maybe all of them. Ibiki had hurt her, a lot. Shouldn't she be mad at him? Why did she feel this strange sense of contentment for having pleased him after he spent so long hurting her? Shaking the thoughts from her head, Akurei only know one thing. She just wanted to go to sleep.

When Akurei woke up, Itachi and Sasuke were in her room, sitting close by on the floor. She hadn't even remembered getting into bed. As she groggily got her eyes to focus on the room, she watched the two brothers. They were playing a game with cards. Itachi glanced at her and held her gaze, his sharingan active and a stern look on his face. At least Sasuke seemed to be enjoying himself.

Akurei stretched awkwardly, and found her own chakra had started to replenish. She pushed the rest of Ibiki’s earth-based chakra out easily, glad to have her own power back. She no longer felt a crushing weight on her chest. She watched Itachi watching her. It was strange that he and Sasuke were here. As she released out her chakra into tendrils, she felt something she had never felt from Itachi before. He was nervous, unsure about something. When he saw her tendrils he immediately hid his feelings, but it was still there in his eyes. He continued to absentmindedly play the game with the oblivious Sasuke, but his blood-red eyes never left her.

What was he so stressed about? Her chakra was fine now, most of it recovered. Itachi was maintaining a look of calm, but underneath he was ready to move at a moment’s notice. The more awake and coherent Akurei became, the less Itachi paid attention to the game with his brother.

His brother.

Then she knew.

She could feel him, on the other side of the village. It was him. Akurei bolted up and rushed for the window. She hadn’t made it two feet before Itachi had put himself in between her and her escape route. Sasuke sat in confusion, the cards a mess on the floor.

“Rei, listen to me. Don’t go storming out of here.” Itachi tried to calm her down. His eyes watched her chakra. She knew she couldn’t force him to move, but her anger wanted to try.

“I thought he was dead! He promised he would come back in a few weeks, and nobody told me where he was! _It’s been years_!” Akurei couldn’t stop the words from escaping. She was yelling. She never yelled.

“I know, Rei. But you can’t approach him like this. You have to calm down. I’m sure… he had a reason,” Itachi’s voice was deep and gentle, but his eyes didn’t watch hers. He was watching her chakra. She realized then that she didn’t know where the arms were. Her power had surged the moment she felt Kakashi in the town. Sasuke stared at her with wide eyes.

It was then that she noticed she felt no fire. All of the chakra arms were merged into one jagged whip that was reaching across all of Konoha, farther than she had ever sensed anyone before. She wondered if Kakashi could feel her chakra enveloping him. The one arm split like fingers ready to grab, but did not engage. She knew exactly what he was doing. He was walking. And not in her direction.

Itachi watched her chakra vine hesitantly. It did not touch him, but it was whipping around sporadically with rage. Her every ounce of attention was devoted to one man, who was over two miles away on the opposite side of a very large village. How could she have sensed him this quickly, from such a distance? Itachi had thought that he had more time to break the news to her. But it looked now like he would be fighting her instead. He did not want to do that.

“Akurei, I said calm down.” Itachi’s words were more forceful this time. Kindness wouldn’t get through to her now. “What do you plan to do? Go attack him in the middle of a populated street? What good will come of that?” Itachi’s voice was raised, but he knew his words weren’t getting through to her. Her fury was palpable. He could try to stop her, but he knew the two would confront soon anyway. He just didn’t want it to be more painful for her than it had to be. And right now he knew she was about to fall apart, held together with nothing but sheer rage. Should he let her go? There was no way she could do any damage to Kakashi, but he felt strangely protective of her emotions that were in such chaos right now. A part of him was suddenly very angry at Kakashi, too.

Itachi faltered, and she moved. He had never seen it before. If he had blinked he would have missed it. When did she learn to move so quickly? There was a crack of thunder in the tiny room. She vanished, and in her place was a single jagged thrashing tendril that followed her out the window like a tail. Itachi cursed.


	8. Homecoming

Akurei ran through her lightning in small bursts, above the clusters of people on the streets below. No one noticed her flashing from rooftop to rooftop. She did not make a sound. She was invisible.

The sudden adrenaline only intensified her anger, and it continued to build as she closed in on her target. Within minutes she had traversed nearly the entire city. He was close.

But he knew she was there. He had known he could not hope to step foot in town without a conflict. So he paced, and waited.

He felt her anger like an icy chill. Her chakra was all around him, pulling at his own. It felt just like when they had fought in the hospital. She had managed to control his chidori by fusing their chakra together. He had won by simply overloading her system, but for a second he feared she was truly the one with the advantage. Now she was doing it again, trying to force her chakra into him and pull his out. Kakashi lifted his forehead protector, revealing his left eye’s sharingan, and saw a single dark blue chakra vein leading to him, splitting into countless needles positioned at each of his tenketsu. She was going to strike all at once. No one could withstand that. He dare not move.

“ _Akurei!_ ” Kakashi called into the street. A few people watched him curiously. He couldn’t let her fight him here. His eyes watched where the thick jagged chakra vein led; up to the rooftops in the distance. As the needle-like chakra bypassed his own layers of chakra and got closer to his skin, he felt a throb of pain in his chest. Akurei’s pain.

She was only meters away from completing her plan. The closer, the better. She would incapacitate him with one hopefully very painful attack at each tenketsu. There was no way he could protect himself from this, no way he could expect her to be this much more powerful since the last time he saw her. And when she wreaked havoc on his system, she would come in from above with a chidori powered by Kakashi’s own chakra.

She thrust her chakra in hard, each tiny needle. She knew this wasn’t a clone. But before she had managed to fully infiltrate, Kakashi pushed back as if expecting it. But his chakra had changed. No longer was it only the lightning that she had been anticipating, but he had mixed it with fire. Akurei was forced to release all of the chakra that was encompassing Kakashi before her plan backfired and the intentionally chaotic and potent chakra entered her own system. 

She landed hard on her feet, facing her brother with even more anger. He had just caused her to throw away a sizable chunk of power. And now the element of surprise was no longer in her favor. Her hate was momentarily replaced with shock when she saw her brother’s face. So he had seen everything with a sharingan.

“Good to see you, too, Rei-chan.” He wore the ANBU uniform, and smiled at her through his usual black mask. She couldn’t explain why, but this infuriated her. “You’re mad. Want to go outside of the town and talk?” He asked, but didn’t wait for an answer before grabbing her tiny body and darting towards the forest. It was risky to get so close to her when her abilities had clearly been honed well. He wouldn’t be able to block another attack on his tenketsu from this close, but he was hoping the shock of his speed would cause her hesitation.

He had been wrong. At least twenty chakra tendrils burst from Akurei as he bolted towards the edge of town. Before any could latch on to his chakra, he threw her as hard as he could. She flew through the trees and rolled across the ground, limbs flailing until she slowed to a stop. Her body did not move, she was stunned, but those veins of chakra sliced through the air with such force that Kakashi did not want to find out what would happen if one made contact. The tendrils thrashed seemingly without a target.

“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have done that.” Kakashi said, putting his hands up in a mock gesture of defenselessness. “But I won’t risk ruining the town like we ruined that hospital room. I’m sure you understand.”

“You left me! Why didn’t you come back? You promised!!” She blurted before he had even finished talking. All of the rage that had been building inside suddenly crumbled beneath her. She couldn’t even force herself to get up. Her body felt heavy again. She lied motionless on the ground, thoughts racing, her resolve completely shattered. The sudden physical pain inflicted by her brother broke some sort of wall she had been using to shelter herself form her own sadness. For the first time in her life, the only emotion she could feel was her own.

“I’m sorry, Rei…” Kakashi said softly. He meant it, but for some reason that didn’t stop the tears now streaming down her face. He didn’t know what to say, but he knew no excuse would be good enough to justify abandoning her. He knew he was selfish, but he couldn’t have been there in the way she needed. A part of him had broken that day. Something had happened to him that changed him, and he didn’t know how to get it through to her that suddenly everything he had taught her was wrong. He couldn’t deal with his new emotions. So he left her instead. He had messed up in so many ways.

His eyes filled with tears, his chest ached. He didn’t know how to make it better. He had hoped that Itachi could be the strong, stable brother figure in her life. He surely didn’t deserve to be. He hadn’t taught her one useful thing in her life. He needed Itachi to help her relearn all of the mistakes he had planted in her head, to show her she could be both powerful and caring.

Kakashi had also hoped that he could have planned their meeting, even a little. This was not going the way he wanted. He had expected her to be angry and hurt, but he could not have anticipated this. She looked absolutely broken on the ground in front of him. He had never seen her chakra before, his eye still healing when they were in the hospital. He had felt it that time, but he had never seen it. Instead of thrashing like furious bolts of discharging lightning, they now moved slowly, mirroring her emotion. They undulated like long, deep-water seagrass, in no particular direction. No current was pushing the tendrils, they simply hung effortlessly in the air, swaying slowly. They weren’t even aiming for him anymore.

Kakashi walked over to his sister, and sat down on the ground next to her, facing the forest. Her chakra made no attempt to move and neither did she. Akurei stared blankly at the trees; in the silence the rustling leaves were almost too loud. Maybe there was still hope for them.

“I know I don’t deserve your forgiveness…” He said softly, his throat too tight. One of Akurei’s chakra arms twitched so fast he almost didn’t see it, and then went back to gently swaying. Then another. He could tell she was thinking, upset, unsure of what to do. A third flashed, turning jagged and unpredictable for just a second before reverting back to the calm of the rest. Kakashi wanted to reach out and touch one, maybe then she could feel how utterly and helplessly guilty he felt. Instead he watched the tendrils become agitated one by one, but always going back to calm. Like she was having some sort of internal struggle, fighting her own thoughts. Should he try to talk, or stay quiet while she processed his return? He needed her to listen to what he had to say, but he knew he couldn’t rush it.

“No… You don’t.” He could have stopped it, but he didn’t. With a flash every single one of her chakra arms struck him. The pain was immediate and intense, like something ripping his chest wide open, a bolt so strong it could tear him in two. He felt something smash into the back of his head hard. The wind was knocked out of him, did he hit the ground? No, he had slammed into a nearby tree, his head spinning and senses confused. Akurei was on her feet in front of him, sobbing, hugging her arms tight to her chest. Despite how sad she looked, the chakra around her was menacing and thrashing, striking anything and everything around them. Branches fell, holes were scorched in thick tree trunks.

A ringing in his ears that he hadn’t even noticed began to fade. He heard the familiar sound, just like in the hospital. Chidori. But the lightning around her, it wasn’t all hers. His own chakra was being ripped from him, fused into the raging chaos around them. It was being drained from him so fast he couldn’t process what was happening. The pain was unbearable. He was positive there was a gaping hole in his chest, blood pouring out.

He tried to speak but couldn’t. He had allowed himself to get hit, but once again was unprepared. Despite his panic, he didn’t try at all to fight back. He deserved this, and more. The pain was blinding. He couldn’t see or hear anything but the screaming of his own chidori, he could barely take in a breath. Was he even breathing? His arms hung limply at his sides, at least he thought. He didn’t know where they were. It didn’t really matter.

Akurei didn’t know what she was doing. She had no plan, nothing to say. Just pure rage. Resentment built up from the years spent alone. He had abandoned her. She had often wished for him to come back, she’d do anything if he just came back. Of course she never said that to anyone. But now that he was here, suddenly and without warning, she couldn’t handle it. She felt nothing but betrayal. Years of repressed emotion came from her like a surge. The one person in her life she was told she could count on, and he left. She couldn’t process anything. Anything but anger. Anger was easy.

She knew he didn’t have much chakra left, she had torn his veil wide open, a monster ripping entrails from its prey. He couldn’t stop her, he couldn’t begin to comprehend what she had done so quickly. Then a pang of guilt. The monster couldn’t put the entrails back. His chakra was dissipating faster than she had intended. He wasn’t fighting, he wasn’t trying to pull it back in. There was no resistance as his life force drained. She was the one draining it.

She screamed, trying to stop it, but it was like trying to plug a faucet. She had gone too far. She needed to break the connection, fast. But his chakra was overpowering in this quantity. She wouldn’t be able to direct it much longer. She could only steer it, she hadn’t even been trying to control it. She didn’t take it, didn’t use it. Just threw it away in anger, guiding it towards the trees around them to cause as much destruction as she could. Kakashi had been smart to get her out of the town.

It was almost a relief to feel pain. That meant someone had stopped her. Itachi knew where she was going. Maybe it was him. But she knew who it was before she even saw him. Earth, the perfect counter to her lightning, enveloped her. A huge hand held her down, forcing his chakra right into her core. She felt heavy again, and felt no lightning. But now she felt nothing. No sadness, no anger. Despite the earth element around her she felt like she was sinking under water. Every sound was wrong, blocked, too flat and dull. Her eyesight was blurry. She could make out the man above her, his large frame and black jacket. But he wasn’t looking at her. His head was turned towards Kakashi. His mouth was moving, who was he talking to? She couldn’t see anything besides Ibiki. She should have felt something, maybe fear, for what had happened yesterday. But now she almost welcomed pain.

He let go of her and stood up, but the pressure from his chakra was still heavy, like someone sitting on her chest. She tried to turn her head to face her brother, but people were in her way. Two other men. Tonbo and Shimon? What were all of them doing here?

Someone touched her chin, turning her face to the opposite direction. Her eyes met the red sharingan of Itachi. Everyone had rushed when they heard Kakashi was back, it seemed. A part of Akurei was proud they thought they would even be necessary. But that pride was quickly replaced with guilt. Itachi did not look happy.

More words were spoken over her. She tried to turn her head, but Itachi did not let go. Out of the corner of her eye she could see that everyone looked rather angry. Shimon and Tonbo had their backs to her, kneeling, clearly doing some healing jutsu. She hadn’t hurt him that badly, she thought.

“…keep her in a cell,” Ibiki said. She finally understood some words.

“That won’t be necessary, Ibiki-san. I wish to speak with her, after she has calmed down. Isolation would do no good now,” He said softly, keeping her facing him. She couldn’t help but stare at those red orbs. Even angry, he managed to stay calm and rational.

“Alright. She won’t be able to use chakra for a while, anyway. I made sure of that.” He grumbled. It made sense for Itachi to be upset, but she didn’t expect Ibiki to be so displeased. He had always managed to find morbid humor in any situation, even in the stress of an interrogation. But not now. Now he wanted her locked up. Was what she did really that bad? “We’ll take him to the hospital. Don’t let her out of your sight. And if she tries to use chakra to free herself, punish her.”

Akurei strained to look through the corner of her eye once more as Ibiki walked away. He slung a limp Kakashi over his shoulder, and the four men disappeared.

Itachi looked back down at her, his face not revealing his thoughts. Akurei assumed he was hiding disappointment. He obviously hadn’t wanted her to meet Kakashi like this. But he didn’t show it. She was thankful for that at least.

He picked her up, like he always did. Akurei was getting tired of needing to be carried. But she couldn’t have moved if she wanted. Again all she could feel was stifling, heavy earth blocking her chakra. She was too weak to even try to fight it. But why was she weak? She had used much more of her chakra than she thought in her vicious attack. She had never felt such rage in her life, so blinded by it that she forgot to keep track of her own store of chakra. She could have killed them both; if her chakra had gotten any more depleted she wouldn’t have been able to control the torrent of her brother’s.

“Did you get it all out?” He said, looking ahead of them. Akurei decided it was too much effort to look up at him, and closed her eyes. What did he mean? She couldn’t think right now, her head was spinning. She couldn’t even feel her body. She suddenly felt sick.

  
  
  


Kakashi woke up hearing familiar beeps of medical equipment. Everything ached, every muscle in his body so sore he didn’t even try to move. It was painful just to breathe. Someone had moved his forehead protector back down to cover his left eye, thankfully, sparing him the effort of keeping the eye closed. Unlike the Uchiha, he could not disable his sharingan. Even having his eye open used chakra.

He was alone in the room. Alone with his thoughts. He knew Akurei would be angry and hurt, something he had thought about daily. He figured they might have another fight, but not so clearly one-sided. He had never seen her express such emotion before. And because of it, he had left himself wide open. He hadn’t known what she was capable of. He had prepared for nothing, ready to take his punishment. A part of him wanted her to show that emotion. He wanted to take whatever she would throw at him; he more than deserved it. And she deserved to show how she felt.

But he hadn’t expected her to almost kill both of them. Her anger was so strong, she lost the ability to think. He could feel her pain, feel how much of her own chakra she was throwing away as she ripped his from him. He had only been afraid for her. Who would run out first? If it was his little sister, then he would have been at fault. It would have been his own chakra that hit her.

He was thankful Ibiki had intervened the way that he did. He was the only one who could have shut that exchange down so flawlessly. Anyone else could have gotten hurt, or added to the chaos. Ibiki had shut both of their systems down in a second. He must have known how his earth would interact with their lightning. Kakashi felt a sudden wave of relief that Akurei had such good people around her now.

But the guilt and sorrow surged back up almost immediately. He had let her down, but there was one thing he still could do. He needed to do it fast. He learned something he wasn’t meant to know. No one knew he was in Konoha, and he would surely face consequences for it now that he was found. He should have been more careful. He had found her, but they were separated again. He hadn’t controlled the situation at all. He had wasted valuable time.

Why didn’t he defend himself? He let his guilt drive his decisions, and now Akurei could suffer for it. He had done enough damage to her. He wouldn’t let anything else happen to her.

Kakashi tested his chakra reserve, closing his eyes and feeling. How long had he been out? More had been replenished than should have been, unless he’d been sleeping for a while. He panicked. No, no, no. Was he too late? He turned to his side, pushing himself up into a sitting position despite the intense pain. He looked out the window. It was dusk, or maybe dawn. He needed to get out. He needed to find Akurei.

Before he could stand, he felt a presence. Itachi stood inside the room, blocking the orange light from the window. Kakashi hadn’t seen him enter. He felt a blink, but he hadn’t closed his eyes.

Itachi stared down at him, the black of his sharingan forming a strange pattern. Red light that matched Itachi’s eyes poured onto the hospital room floor, but everything was dark. It didn’t make sense. Nothing felt right. What was happening?

“It’s nothing personal, Kakashi.” His intruder’s words seemed to be coming from inside Kakashi’s head. What was he talking about?

Itachi reached out, pulling off Kakashi’s forehead protector. Seeing one red eye staring back at him, he frowned.

Another forced blink, and the room was gone. Wherever he was, there were no edges. Nothing made any visual sense. He was on his back, looking up at Itachi. There was no sky, no clouds, but there was a blood red moon. It was too close. All he could see was shadows, darkness, and the crimson of Itachi’s eyes in the giant moon.

Itachi grabbed Kakashi’s face with one hand, covering his mouth with his palm. It wasn’t to keep him queit, but to prevent him from moving his head. Kakashi tried to grab Itachi’s wrist, but his arms didn’t move. He pushed upward as hard as he could, but his arms wouldn’t move an inch. They felt strapped down. His whole body was. He couldn’t move his legs either. When did he get tied down this securely? Kakashi’s mind was racing, but he couldn’t think of anything he could do. He was helpless.

Itachi held a kunai over Kakashi’s face, inches above. Was he planning on gouging his eye out? It was not an experience Kakashi had ever wanted to relive. Itachi raised it further up, preparing to plunge it down into Kakashi’s face. He couldn’t move, couldn’t make a sound. Panic overtook him.

Itachi’s concentration broke. Kakashi gasped for air, his entire body shaking. He was back in the hospital room, lying on his bed. He tried to lift his arms, but they were shaking too badly for him to do anything with. He let them fall back to his sides, and tried to concentrate on breathing. He didn’t know what just happened, but there was a huge hole in the wall where the window once was. He could hear screams from outside. People yelling in the distance. It was faint, but audible. Or was it in his head? Was he hearing voices again?

“…Keep him here, I’ll go,” A deep voice rumbled. A man in a black jacket raced past Kakashi and vanished out of the place where a wall once was. Two men Kakashi had never seen before appeared over him. No, he had seen them. They were the two who had rushed in to heal him after his fight with Akurei.

Rei, where was she? He hadn’t gotten her in time. What had Itachi done? Kakashi didn’t know what would happen, only that he needed to get his sister away from the Uchiha quickly. He didn’t expect Itachi to attack him in the hospital. What was going on? Did Itachi do something? Was he the danger in the message Kakashi had intercepted? Sequester the Uchiha section. Do not let anyone in or out. Keep civilians and nonessential ninja to a distance.

He didn’t know what it meant, but someone knew something bad would happen. But what had happened?

He should have gotten her first. He should have incapacitated her, and let her deal with emotions later. What was he thinking? He should have known that talking, trying to convince her to leave with him wouldn’t work. He had been too hopeful. And he had left a huge amount of room for error. What was wrong with him?

Kakashi hadn’t realized just how much he was shaking until one of the men put a hand on his shoulder, gently pressing down. It snapped him out of his thoughts, and he realized he was hyperventilating.

Instead of calming down, Kakashi tried to sit up. He had to get to Akurei. But the hand on his shoulder pressed down with force, holding him against the bed. Kakashi reached across his chest and grabbed the man’s wrist, but the other man took his arm and held that against the bed too. When had he gotten to the other side? Each of them stood over him, on opposite sides of the bed. Hadn’t they just been standing next to each other?

Kakashi’s mind couldn’t handle any more. With a burst of sudden energy he shoved his way out of their grip, and crashed onto the floor, landing on his shoulder hard. His head lay on the cold hospital floor, near one of the man’s feet. They were speaking, but Kakashi didn’t care what they were saying. He had to get to Akurei. Why were they trying to stop him?

He used the bed to pull himself to his feet, and instantly regretted standing. Neither of the men made a move to catch him as he fell back to the floor. His own arms hadn’t moved to block his fall. He couldn’t stand. But he had to get to Akurei. Why couldn’t they see that?

His body had given out, his mind had a while ago. He was not capable of calming down. He continued to take short, panicked breaths from the floor, his shaking so bad he couldn’t control his limbs. His vision was getting dark, but he didn’t know why.


	9. The Sacrifice

Itachi gently put Akurei down on her futon. It had been incredibly easy to convince Ibiki not to take her from him. It would have ruined everything if he had insisted on keeping her in his prison. Luckily, not much convincing was needed at all. Since he had been in charge of her for the past few years, it was just assumed that he would continue his task. How convenient.

She was exhausted, on the brink of unconsciousness, but her mind raced. He could tell from her breathing that she was still awake. He wondered if he should try to talk to her about what had happened. It didn’t really matter.

He knew she wouldn’t be moving any time soon. Ibiki had done him a huge favor. Whatever reason Kakashi had for returning so suddenly, things could not have gone better. Itachi now had all day to prepare, uninterrupted. He no longer had to spend the day exhausting his protégé. She would stay out of the way, until it was her turn. But first he needed to see Sasuke.

“Rei-chan,” He said softly. He decided he would take no chances today. Everything had already lined up so perfectly, why risk it? “You need to rest.” She said nothing, but he didn’t need her consent. He would make her sleep for the rest of the day, just in case she decided to try to pull out her own chakra. It would be better if she were blind for what was about to happen. Itachi silently thanked Ibiki once more.

Akurei was having weird dreams. Fire, she was used to that by now. But this fire was different. It was desperate, filled with terror and dread. She heard screams, blood splatter, bodies dropping on the street. There was a faint smell of something burning.

Her eyes flew open as all the sounds got louder. She could hear it from her window, towards the city violence echoed into her room. Something was terribly wrong. She needed to run. The forest was so close. But she couldn’t move. It wasn’t fear that froze her, but the heavy weight from whatever Ibiki had done to her chakra. She needed to flush it out, now.

Akurei forced herself to roll over to her side, the whole room now visible. She was alone, the window was so close. She squeezed her eyes shut, reaching for her own chakra. Feeling for a tiny thread to tug. But there was nothing, just Ibiki’s oppressive and stagnant earth. It was worse than the first time. Is that where he got this idea? A jutsu that would only affect a sensory lightning type chakra user. A move that would affect no one else the same as it did her.

Had he sealed it somehow? No matter how hard she pushed, nothing happened. A boulder separated her, blocking the door to her own chakra. She couldn’t even feel what might be beyond it. What kind of jutsu was this? Was it even jutsu? Why couldn’t she feel her own chakra at all?

Minutes passed like hours. All Akurei could do was listen to the screams get louder. What was happening? The panic and confusion, the smell of smoke. Where was Itachi? She remembered him being in the room with her, and then nothing. Was he outside fighting something? Did something attack Konoha? She wished he would come back, help her get rid of Ibiki’s chakra block. She wasn’t supposed to do anything for now, but surely this was an extreme enough situation.

Suddenly the door slammed open. A body was roughly hurled into the room. A man with long black hair lie crumpled on the floor, choking on his own blood, making hideous gurgles. From her place on the futon, Akurei was at eye-level with the dying man. His black eyes darted around wildly, and locked onto Akurei’s. Itachi stepped over him, approaching where Akurei lie. He had come to save her.

Akurei took a closer look at the man on the floor. It was the police force Uchiha that Itachi had told to stand down, the one who noticed her on the rooftops her first day. She knew him now as Inabi. He was well-respected and his power sometimes got to his head, but he wasn’t evil. He couldn't have done this. His uniform was drenched in blood. There were holes in his clothes, and blood was starting to pool underneath him. Was she wrong about him? Was he a spy? And why had Itachi brought him here half-dead?

“Itachi-sensei,” Akurei’s words were pinched, barely a whisper. She hadn’t realized how scared she was until she heard her own voice. She could form no more words. All she could do was stare up at him.

“I have a gift for you, Rei-chan. You don’t need to thank me. It’s going to hurt.” Itachi spoke calmly as he knelt down beside her. Akurei’s eyes were wide and confused, flickering between Itachi and the man on the floor. Itachi grabbed her chin in his hand again, and forced her to look at him. “I have a theory… well, many theories. But this is one I can try, right now.” Akurei found that she couldn’t look away from his blood red eyes. Something snapped in her head. She had to get away from Itachi. “No one truly sees how valuable you are, how rare your ability. But I do.” Akurei swore she heard a dull crack, as her chest became lighter and Ibiki’s earth chakra was abruptly extinguished. Itachi had released whatever seal was there, and Akurei could feel her chakra rush back into her system. She might be able to fight him off. She could surprise him with how quickly her lightning reemerged, now was her chance.

As quickly as the seal was released, Akurei thrust her lightning at Itachi. His chakra was huge and threatening, unguarded for the first time. There was nothing on the surface, hiding his real chakra underneath. No guard. It was just raw power surrounding him, almost inviting her to attack.

The second her chakra touched his, something felt wrong. The room disappeared. She was still staring into Itachi’s eyes, but everything just felt wrong. Time slowed, the air didn’t move. She could no longer smell smoke.

“Good, Rei,” His words were gentle and calming. Akurei couldn’t move again. It was different than with Ibiki’s jutsu, though. She almost felt as if she were floating above herself. Her chakra didn’t budge, either. Bolts of lightning frozen in the sky. Now that Itachi had grabbed it, he was manipulating it. Or was he? Akurei couldn’t tell if she had just let go or if he had taken it. But she could feel the fire climbing up each arm she had thrust at him. “I need you to do exactly as I say,” he reached behind him, lifting Inabi by the throat. “You can take and wield the chakra of others like it was your own. I think you can do the same with kekkei genkai. But I won’t simply transplant an eye, that wouldn’t prove my theory. I need you to do much more than that.” He explained as if it were a normal topic of conversation, ignoring Akurei’s building terror.

“No, no, no, no…” Akurei muttered, barely audible. She didn’t know what else to do. She needed to run, to get away from Itachi. She didn’t want to see what he was planning to do, she just needed to escape.

“It’s alright, Rei.” Why was he calling her that now? It only confused her even more to hear such an endearing name used in such a threatening manner. “I was lying, it won’t hurt at all. Not if you let me take over. You know I wouldn’t hurt you.” Akurei didn’t know what she knew anymore. The man who had taken care of her, trained her every day for years, adopted her after her own brother abandoned her, was now holding her jaw with one hand and a dying man with the other.

He knew he didn’t need to keep holding her; she wouldn’t be able to look away. But he wanted to. This might be the last time he ever saw her. He had grown quite fond of her, despite knowing how things would end. He had been working through these theories in his head for some time now. The trust that Akurei had in him would help, she was wide open to his influence. It made things much easier.

“A kekkei genkai is passed through blood, through dna… to wield it effectively you need to possess that blood. But…I can do so much more than that. I’ll give you all of his power. I’ll give you him.” Itachi was excited to try what he had been thinking about for so long. She was the perfect test subject, perhaps the only one. He had been in contact with her chakra for so long now, it should be especially easy. And with her in Tsukiyomi her mind was completely open to him. If he failed there wasn’t much of a consequence anyway.

He had been working on this technique for the past year, but only in his mind. He hadn’t yet tested it. To transfer everything from one person to another like a bijuu had never been done before. But Itachi didn’t see why not. He would take a piece of Inabi’s consciousness and seal it inside her, transferring the kekkei genkai with blood. She could use his chakra reserve when her tiny one was depleted; she may have been the only one who could wield his power as her own. Assuming it would work.

He could feel Inabi’s pulse weakening. He had to work fast. He dropped his cousin’s head with a light thud, grabbing instead his hair from the roots, and stood up. Inabi was on his knees, limp, his dark eyes unfocused. He made one small gurgle, the blood trickling from his mouth. Itachi held a kunai up to his throat.

“Listen to my voice, Rei. I need you to make your chakra as thin as hair, and point at all 361 of his tenketsu. I will help you.” He used his own fire to pull more of her lightning out. It wasn’t difficult. It was almost like controlling his own. She was letting him have control, despite her fear. She didn’t really have a choice in the matter. “Now, Rei.” She obediently complied, and let Itachi steer the strands to the right places. Her chakra was surrounding Inabi completely, ready to infiltrate. Itachi would do more than just have Akurei infiltrate his chakra system, however.

Itachi sliced the kunai across Inabi’s throat as he simultaneously plunged her chakra into him. He didn’t even make a sound, his neck had split into a giant gaping fissure. He felt Akurei’s panic as Inabi’s blood splashed on her, but she couldn’t pull away. He let go of his cousin, his limp body falling forward and landing on top of Akurei, causing all of the air to be knocked from her. She looked even smaller than normal as she struggled to breathe under the full-sized dying adult.

He made hand seals as quickly as he could, pulling out more and more of Akurei’s chakra and thrusting it into Inabi. Her blue lightning turned a dark crimson where it touched Inabi’s flesh, like blood soaking into each tendril and towards Akurei. So it would work after all.

As her natural dark blue was completely subdued by the crimson, Itachi could feel the last of Inabi’s life leave him. His heart was no longer beating. There were maybe a few seconds left before his consciousness would be gone. But it was already trapped.

Itachi grabbed Inabi’s hair once more, yanking him back up. His throat gaped open, tearing even wider like a huge mouth. He tossed him to the side, down towards Akurei’s feet as he finished the seal, jamming his palm into her stomach. There was more than enough blood. She gasped desperately for air, her eyes filled with tears. She grabbed his wrist with both hands, but that wouldn’t change anything. She looked up at him, whimpering, starting to sob, her eyes begging for him to stop.

He could do anything he wanted right now. He could destroy her mind, make her go mad. But he wasn’t going to go that far. He only went as deep into her mind as he needed to. He knew what Inoichi might try to do after he left, and he wasn’t going to let anyone figure out what he had done. No, no one would ever reach the red gates that caged a human. That would be problematic.

But Akurei needed to know what to do before he could release her. Actually, she didn’t. He only had to rewrite some neurological pathways, but he wanted her to be able to activate the sharingan herself. But to do that, she would need to have a direct path to the gates. But someone from the outside, in the Interrogation force, would only be faced with endless maze and traps. Itachi couldn’t predict what outcome any this would have, but he knew it would be interesting. He couldn’t wait to watch.

Her eyes were still locked on his, as they had been the entire time. She was too deep in his genjutsu to do anything else. He removed his hand from her and leaned back. It had worked even better than he could have imagined. Her mind was an open book to him now, and he controlled the pages.

“Akurei. I want you to activate your sharingan.” She stared at him, confused. But she couldn’t say no, not to him.

Akurei squeezed her eyes shut. There was a sudden, unbearable burning pain in her eyes. She screamed. It was hot, but wet. She was crying something thicker than tears, but the burning got even more intense. Even though her eyes were shut, she could still see Itachi. And there was another man. The one she had just seen die. Both of them had blood red eyes. Fire. She could see fire.

Her eyes flew open, and despite the terror she felt, she couldn’t help but be amazed at what she saw. She could see her own chakra. It whipped around anxiously in long crimson bolts. Itachi’s chakra was strong and red too, flickering like fire. He looked pleased.

“Inabi, take care of her for me,” Itachi said as he stood up. He quickly left through the door, not looking back. Akurei had so many questions, but fear prevented her from speaking. She wanted to call him back, ask him what had just happened. What was he talking about? What had he done?

_No._

Suddenly her bolts thrashed, like they had when she attacked Kakashi. She was discharging chakra, her own chakra. But she felt a lot more than she had previously. It was there, at her fingertips, but she couldn’t control it. Someone was screaming inside her head. He had failed. He had lost. Everyone was dead. He couldn’t save a single person.

The screams weren’t only anger. They were mourning and filled with fear. Akurei felt those emotions as if they were her own. She sobbed loudly, not even sure why. But her chakra kept dispelling rapidly, painfully. Why?

“Stop!” She yelled to no one through clenched teeth. Her eyes were still burning, but the pain was subsiding, replaced by pain in her chest. Her chakra was spewing forth, being ripped from her against her will. This must have been what Kakashi was feeling.

_No._

The room was quickly being destroyed. The window had shattered, the walls crumbling. Soon the ceiling would collapse on her.

“Please… stop it!” She screamed. The pain was excruciating. She couldn’t breathe. A huge piece of ceiling crashed to the floor beside her, dust flying up into the air. She coughed, debris hitting her. She’d be buried alive soon.

“Akurei!” She heard a familiar voice yell from far away. It was deep, and for the first time ever sounded scared. But Akurei had no more breath to speak, struggling to even take in small amounts of air. She lifted her arms to cover her face. It was all she could do to guard herself from the destruction she was causing.

Ibiki didn’t need her to respond. He knew exactly where she was. An explosion burst from the wall of an apartment complex ahead of him. Twice in one day her chakra was out of control. Was she fighting someone? She didn’t have that much natural chakra. Before, she had used Kakashi’s. Whose was she using now? And how did she free herself from his chakra bindings?

Ibiki ran, taking in the sight around him. Bodies littered the street. Blood ran into gutters. There was the occasional piece of body, too. Blood was splattered across walls, as if an impossibly fast sword had cut clear through flesh. Ibiki was taking the same path as whoever had done this, judging from the trajectory of the blood splatter. Was she fighting that person now?

He jumped, landing on the building’s wall. Her chakra was so fast and unpredictable he had to be careful where he went. He could be hit with a stray bolt easily, especially not being able to see what was happening beyond the wall. He took a momentary pause in the explosion to jump into a huge hole in the side of the building, not knowing what he would find or who he would be faced with.

It was only Akurei. She lie on a futon that was quickly being covered in debris, trying feebly to shield her head as more of the building fell around her. She wasn’t fighting anyone, but there was a body near her feet. Had he attacked her? Nothing he was witnessing made any sense.

Ibiki readied his own chakra to block hers. Whatever had happened had left her out of control. Did it happen when she tried to force his chakra out of her? That didn’t seem logical. But he had to act fast. He grabbed her the same way as he had earlier this morning, shoving his earth into her system. He was met with much more resistance this time. The power coming from her didn’t even feel like hers. He knew how her chakra flow felt by now. This was too wild, even for lightning.

It wasn’t only lightning. There was fire, too. The two had mixed into something volatile and unstable. How was she dispelling fire chakra from herself? Luckily his earth could still block this new chakra, too. But it had caught him off guard and he had taken a direct hit to his shoulder. It felt like something had stabbed him. He pushed harder into her flow, until both chakras had been subdued. But the building was unstable. He scooped her up and jumped back down to the street.

He had been squeezing her harder than he meant to. Kneeling, he loosened his grip to assess the damage. He brushed the debris from her hair, and his jaw dropped when she opened her eyes. They were red, the sharingan red of the Uchiha clan, and bleeding. How was that even possible? She was using the Uchiha fire, too. But in a second the crimson faded back to gray. Had he imagined it?

She started crying, her limp body heaving with each breath. He hadn’t noticed it before, but she was covered in blood. He quickly tried to find a wound, the source of the blood. But there was none. She buried her bloody face into his chest, shaking. He squeezed her again.

He felt the fire chakra rising back up, and quickly reinforced his earth that enveloped her. What was happening? She shouldn’t be able to use someone else’s chakra from far away, let alone use a foreign kekkei genkai. But he had to completely block her chakra again. Being so close made it easy, but the fire kept finding ways to push back. Kept finding the flaws in his attempt to smother her chakra flow, and exploiting it. Instead of just leaving his chakra to passively block her system, he had to actively manipulate it constantly.

He would have to figure this all out later. First he needed to get her as far away from the Uchiha section as possible. He didn’t know what was happening, but it was suspicious how no one had come to aid the Uchiha. The streets here were still completely empty, except for the bodies. Ibiki didn’t understand how no ANBU or even the police force had arrived yet. No, he recognized the uniforms on the corpses. The entire unit had been wiped out.

A scream made him stop in his tracks. It was a child. Was someone still here? The attacker? He didn’t know how he would fight with Akurei in his arms, having to keep her chakra in check. But he bolted for the sound anyway. Akurei was adaptable. They’d figure something out.

The sound was coming from the largest house in the section of town. The doors were open. Ibiki burst in, charging up the stairs as the constant screams of a child rang in his ears. He stopped in the doorway. A kid with black hair was on the ground, clutching his head in his hands and wailing. In front of him was the corpses of a woman and a man, blood covering the floor.

Something alerted Ibiki to the window. Outside a shadow stood, standing on the roof of the house next door, illuminated by the light from the moon. He was just far enough away that Ibiki couldn’t see his face, only two blood red eyes. But he already knew who it was.

“ _Itachi!_ ” He roared, anger swelling up in him stronger than anything he had felt in a long, long time. He should have taken Akurei. But instead he handed her back to this man, because he was annoyed. Whatever Itachi had done to her was completely his fault.

The silhouette disappeared. Ibiki knew he couldn’t chase after him. He couldn’t leave two injured kids here alone. Itachi might be trying to lure him out, so he could circle back and finish them off. Ibiki was painfully aware they were the only three people in the entire Uchiha section. Where the hell was everybody?

He shifted Akurei to his side, gripping her around the waist tightly. She couldn’t move much on her own, so he squeezed to make sure her head stayed against his chest. He reached down and scooped up the crying Uchiha boy under his free arm. He could feel immediately that the boy was in some kind of genjutsu. Who would do that to a child?

He tried to dispel it, but he had never felt a genjutu like this. The boy was thrashing and screaming; Ibiki could only guess what was going on inside his mind. He jumped back down to the street and kept running for the hospital. Inoichi could assess the damage of both of the kids in his arms. Hopefully the trauma wasn’t debilitating.

With a screaming boy under his left arm, and a shaking Akurei in his right he was starkly reminded that his assistant in the torture room was still a child. As much as he had come to enjoy training her, her skills never failing to impress him, she was still a child. One who would be sought after for her unusual chakra. He should have protected her more. But she had been assigned to Itachi as her main caretaker. What else could he have done?

Ibiki couldn’t understand why Itachi had done this. He was still in mild shock as he burst into the hospital.

“Get Inoichi,” he barked at a medical-nin, thrusting the Uchiha boy into his arms. His screams had stopped, and now he just stared blankly at the ground, crying. Ibiki couldn’t risk leaving Akurei in someone else’s care, however. His chakra was the only thing keeping hers subdued. He needed to find Tonbo and Shimon. They weren’t necessarily healers, but Akurei wasn’t exactly injured anyway. He trusted their opinions more than anyone else. He needed to figure out what had happened.

Itachi fled the village, knowing no one was chasing him. Ibiki had thought about trying, he could sense it, but had ultimately made the wise decision. Itachi was too tired to use Tsukiyomi any more tonight, but he could have found one more in him for Ibiki.

Itachi had definitely overdone it, but the results would be worth it. He was expecting Ibiki’s team to try to delve into Akurei’s mind, once they saw her sharingan. They wouldn’t find anything. If they tried, they would be forced to stop. He had made it too dangerous. This day was locked, no one else would ever see it. They would never find Inabi’s consciousness, either.

The only loose end Itachi hadn’t managed to cut was Kakashi. His sharingan could become an issue, but there was only a small chance of that. His sharingan was far inferior, anyway. He shouldn’t have wasted the energy on him.

He had succeeded in almost every way tonight. He couldn’t have asked for a better situation.


	10. Realization

Akurei was in a cell, where Ibiki had threatened to put her before. She wish he had. It was a small concrete room with a pillowless bed and no windows, a huge metal door with a tiny barred slot the only exit. Akurei knew well that Ibiki and the rest of his interrogation force were nearby. It wasn’t her first time down in these dungeons, but it was her first time in one of the prisoner cells. She could feel Ibiki’s chakra as if he were in the room with her, and knew she shouldn’t even attempt to use her own. She was trying hard to keep her new chakra supply in check. It was trying very hard to release itself.

Was is day or night? Akurei had lost track of the time she had been here. The events kept replaying in her mind, Itachi’s eyes, Inabi’s throat split wide like a yawning animal, spewing blood at her. She couldn’t understand what had happened, despite being there. Why did Itachi do that? Why was she there, why couldn’t she run?

It was Kakashi’s fault. If he hadn’t returned…

The thick metal door creaked open. Ibiki and a man with long blonde hair entered the room. Akurei knew him, it was the Torture and Interrogation Force’s specialty in information extraction, Yamanaka Inoichi. She didn’t even lift her head from the mattress. She knew things were about to get unpleasant. She had never experienced Inoichi’s skills herself, but she had heard stories. Even the strongest ninjas scream when he digs through their minds. She grimaced, hoping they didn’t intend to do that to her.

“Akurei, we need to know what happened,” Inoichi spoke gently. He was a calm man, but took his role seriously. Akurei knew he was one of the other few sensory types, like herself, and could track nearly anyone by feeling for their chakra signature. She wondered why he wasn’t out searching for Itachi.

_Tell him to fuck off._

Akurei heard someone say. A man. She could feel rage bubbling beneath the surface, but it wasn’t hers. She felt like something in her chest was being scorched, and winced.

“We can’t treat you properly unless we have more information,” Inoichi said, kneeling down beside her. She hardly processed what he had said, too concerned with the voice that she now heard constantly. Ibiki stood erect in the corner behind him, his stern eyes watching. She couldn’t feel the chakra of the man kneeling in front of her, only Ibiki’s. The look he was giving her was intimidating, but his earth felt secure and stable.

_I said tell him to fuck off._

“No… I don’t want to,” Akurei whispered under her breath, her eyes starting to tear up from the pain in her chest. Inoichi looked back at Ibiki, letting out a long breath.

“I wouldn’t.” Ibiki’s voice rumbled. He looked directly at his companion, issuing a warning. Inoichi stood up. “She could have experienced something similar to Sasuke. You don’t want to run into more traps, do you?”

“You’re right… Even without probing I can feel something is wrong. What should we do?” Inoichi seemed genuinely worried. “There’s… something else… something left by Itachi-” Ibiki silenced Inoichi with a shake of his head.

“Leave her with me. I wish to speak with her, alone.” He growled. Inoichi got up and gave Ibiki a strange glance, dragging the thick metal door closed as he left. Ibiki approached her bed, his hands behind his back. As naturally menacing as he was, Akurei wasn’t scared of him right now.

_Don’t tell him anything._

“Akurei. Whose fire is that?” He asked. Akurei didn’t know what to say. She didn’t want to sound crazy, and she didn’t want to tell the truth. Who would believe her? She was hearing voices in her head, after all. Maybe she really had gone crazy.

“I… learned it from Itachi,” She muttered.

“In one day? While I had sealed away your chakra?” She scowled at that. If he hadn’t sealed her chakra in the first place, she could have escaped. “Akurei… I want to keep you on my team. But you’re a danger to Konoha’s intelligence. If I don’t know exactly what happened, we might as well assume any information you acquire is going to Itachi.” His voice was harsher than he meant it to be. He only wanted to get the truth, not scare her. But Akurei was very scared. Was he threatening to remove her from the force? To stop her training?

“I’m sorry, Ibiki-sensei,” Akurei couldn’t hold back her tears any longer. She cried, burying her face in her hands. She had already put the pieces together.

She felt the mattress sink where Ibiki sat next to her. She couldn’t stop from rolling towards the indentation the large man had made, but he didn’t seem to mind. He put a hand on her shoulder.

“It’s not your fault, Rei-chan,” He spoke softly, genuine sadness in his voice. “But I can’t have you sitting in on interrogations anymore. Not until you’re cleared. That could take some time.”

“Please… don’t send me back to the academy…” Akurei said, sniffling. She couldn’t go back, not after having a purpose. After learning things she could never hope to learn there.

“You’re smart enough to know I don’t have a choice.” He sighed, disappointed. “You will continue your previous studies while you are cleared to train for the force again. You’ll have weekly sessions with me or Inoichi to evaluate the damage. And you’ll be staying here for a few days, until I decide if you’re an immediate danger or not.” Akurei listened quietly, her tears being soaked up by the mattress.

Ibiki stood up, the mattress shape groaning back to normal. Akurei didn’t know what to say. In a day, she had lost everything. Her second brother had abandoned her, but not before ruining her chances at her goals.

“I’m going to release your chakra. We need to observe you for a while. I’ll return later.” His earth chakra drained from her almost immediately. He opened the heavy door. It scraped along the worn semi-circle path on the floor. “Try to get some rest.” He added, the door closing. Akurei heard the metallic sound of a lock sliding into place on the other side of the door.

She felt a pulse of fire, but held it down, like trying to hold in vomit. It was unpleasant.

_Come here._

Akurei squeezed her eyes shut, trying to will the voice away. But the dark she was seeing was too black to be the back of her eyelids. It was a void. There was something in the distance. A red light. Akurei imagined herself walking towards it, and it was suddenly directly in front of her; it was all she could see. It wasn’t a light, but bright red bars to a cage. Inside the cage, she could see nothing. Just more darkness. She approached, too cautious to try and touch the bars.

A hand shot out of the darkness, grabbing her by the neck and slamming her face against the bars. A man much taller than her emerged from the shadows, looming over her, his red eyes glowing. He was furious, and did not let go of Akurei’s neck no matter how much she tried to push away.

“ _You!!_ ” The man yelled. “The little Hatake. What have you done?! _Let me go_ ,” His voice boomed. Akurei was confused. He was the one grabbing her. “Let me out of here, now!” Akurei finally wiggled out of his grasp, falling backwards. He continued to try to grab her, but she was just out of reach.

“You’re not real, I watched you die!” Akurei’s voice was shaky and uncertain. How did she get here? Had he really summoned her here? Where was her body, then?

“Let me out!!” He yelled again, his voice getting frantic. Akurei could feel his fiery chakra beyond the gates. It felt familiar.

“I don’t know how!” She spat back at him.

“Then I’ll do it. Come here,” He snarled. Akurei was not about to approach the bars again. She scooted backwards. From his outstretched hand, a red whip of chakra shot out, wrapping itself around her ankle and dragging her closer. “I'll fucking kill you,”

“What?!” Akurei was getting angry now, too. She tried to keep pulling away from his whip of chakra, but it was wrapped tightly around her ankle. She kicked with her other leg, trying to crawl back but was slowly being dragged towards the cage. His rage flowed through his chakra and into her. She wasn’t really mad, but feeling his desperate fury. “You're dead! This doesn't make sense!” She shouted, trying to ignore her fears.

The man yelled out wordless frustration. Akurei tried again to kick his chakra off her leg, but instead it climbed up, slithering towards her chest. She felt a surge of power. She felt the burning in her eyes again, but it was less intense.

When she opened her eyes, she could see her own chakra swirling around her. She watched the dark blue became crimson; the new fire chakra entering her system. It lashed at the air around her. The man’s red eyes widened. The now-crimson tendrils bursting from her core flooded her system with heat and overwhelming energy, but also rage. She felt Inabi's anger like it was coming from herself, reflected in her chakra. It thrashed wildly, out of her control.

Inabi watched with hyper-focused red eyes. It was getting difficult to differentiate their chakras. He took the distraction as a chance to pull her leg, yanking her closer again. She let out a surprised yell, trying to stop the momentum but failing. Another whip of crimson wrapped itself around her neck.

“I will get out of here,” He snarled at her. “I don’t know what the fuck you did, but I’ll get out. And when I do-“

“Inabi,” Akurei interrupted, trying to reach for the chakra around her neck, but was unable to actually grasp it. She could feel it, but it didn't feel like solid matter. She thought it would have choked her, but she felt no real pressure on her airway. “I didn’t do anything. You don’t remember?” Akurei’s voice got somber. She tried to calm down the raging, furious energy around them by recalling the fear and sadness. “Itachi killed you.” She didn’t want him to have to relive that, but she didn’t want him to think she had done this to him, either. His eyes bulged. His hands grabbed and felt at his own neck. In an instant his expression had gone from rage, to panic, then to something like grief. Their red eyes were locked. Akurei didn’t know what to say. His eyes held so much pain in them that she wanted to cry.

“No. No, that didn’t happen. Why would he do that?” Inabi said, his voice shaky and uncertain. His chakra flickered wildly, more of it spilling out from between the bars of his cell. The chakra that had wrapped itself around her leg and neck loosened as he thought about her words. “You're lying.” He said, his anger returning. “You did something. Why am I here?! Where am I?!” He shouted accusingly, a sudden confusion on his face.

“I’m not lying,” She said, the fear showing in her voice. She didn't understand how he had even called her here, or where they were. She couldn't have explained anything to him if she wanted to. “I don't know where we are, or why you talk to me all the time! Why is your voice always in my head?” She cried in desperation.

“What the fuck are you talking about? If…” Inabi’s voice trailed off as his hands continued to feel his neck. “Am I dead? Are we both dead?” He muttered. His eyes became unfocused as he stared at nothing, processing his own words.

“No… I’m not dead.” Akurei said hesitantly. His red eyes shot back towards her, his face contorted in anger. Akurei flinched as she watched the realization wash over him.

“So why… why have you trapped me here?!” He snarled at her.

“I didn’t!” Her voice was cut off as the chakra wrapped around her tightened again and yanked her towards the cage. “Stop it!”

“Why would Itachi want to trap me with someone like you? A fucking child?!” His eyes bulged with rage and spit flew from his mouth, resembling a rabid animal.

“I don’t know! I’m sorry!” Akurei cried. When the chakra had pulled her close enough to the gate, Inabi’s hand reached out once more and grabbed her arm, jerking her upper body towards him. He grabbed her throat in his other hand, pulling her against the red bars again.

“You’re going to let me out. Open it, now!” His breath was hot and his chakra was suffocating.

“I can’t! You’re dead, you wouldn’t have anywhere to go anyway!” Akurei shouted as she tried to pull his fingers off her neck. Despite him crushing her throat, she could still talk.

“Stop talking like that!” He let go of her and squeezed his eyes shut, pulling at his own hair with his hands. Akurei scrambled away once more, his chakra thrashing madly as more and more spilled out from between the bars. “You don’t fucking know anything! Just let me go!” He fell to his knees, his fingers still gripping his hair by the roots. He slowly leaned forward until his head rested on the ground. Akurei could feel everything; all of the pain, the confusion and regret and terror that overwhelmed him. He was angry, but that emotion was being drowned out by unbearable helplessness.

She wanted to try to comfort him, but he was too violent and unpredictable. She was too scared to move. He would attack her again if she made a sound. Instead she watched him falling apart, her chest aching and her head spinning. His chakra was filling up all of the empty space in every corner of her mind, and she was drowning in it.

Akurei’s eyes flew open. She was back inside her gray prison cell. He had let go of her in his sorrow, unable to keep holding her so deep in her subconscious. She burst into tears and sobbed uncontrollably into the mattress. Inabi’s emotions were the only thing she could focus on. She took a while to notice that she could still see her chakra, dark red and twitching anxiously. That meant she somehow had the sharingan, just like she had in that black void. She could feel his fire deep within her, disturbing her lightning and agitating it. Their chakra was linked somehow, but not resonating at all.

She could feel her access to his stored chakra, but it was like trying to hold onto sand. The more she tried to grasp it, the more she lost. In a few seconds the sharingan had deactivated. She could no longer see her own chakra. She could still feel Inabi’s fire, but wasn’t holding onto it anymore. Or rather, it was no longer holding onto her. Inabi was still there, below the surface, his thoughts swirling around in her head. She cried until she fell asleep.

  
  


  
  


It had been two months since Itachi took everything from her. Akurei was out of the prison, but still not cleared to continue any training with Ibiki. Once she had finally gotten Inabi’s chakra to settle down and they could find no trace of Itachi left in her, she had been released. Of course no one found Inabi, but Inoichi was convinced that something wasn’t right with her. He was a skilled mind-reader, but no one told her what he had concluded. Akurei didn’t know if he had heard Inabi talking. She hoped not. She might still be in the cell if he had.

She met with Inoichi more often than Ibiki for her evaluations. He was slowly searching deeper and deeper, but he never managed to get far. Akurei couldn’t help but be disturbed when she realized that whenever Inoichi was searching her mind, she had no recollection of that day, and Inabi was silent. It’s as if her mind just went blank until he retreated. She was glad for it, however. She was too terrified that if they found something, she would be subject to all sorts of experiments, looked at with disgust, and never be allowed to train again. So she let the blankness take over. It was a nice reprieve from Inabi, at least.

Inoichi had tried everything. He tried guided meditation, hypnosis, anything he could think of to get her to calm down before probing. But no matter what he tried, he couldn’t get her to remember that day. Had she really forgotten? Even if she had, he should have been able to pull it to the surface easily. He had uncovered countless repressed emotions and secrets in his life, why was this one different? Whatever had happened, it had been traumatic, that much he could tell. But he couldn’t even pass the first barrier in her defense. This had him quite frustrated. If it was something Itachi had set up, he had a long way to go, and getting through this barrier was only the beginning of a very dangerous journey.

Akurei walked home after leaving Inoichi. Their session had been long, and by the end of it Inoichi had looked more tired than normal. She couldn’t remember what he had done, her mind was blissfully unaware. But she could tell he had pushed himself extra hard. Yet the results were the same as always.

Her “home” wasn’t exactly a place anymore. The Uchiha section of town had been cleared of all the bodies, but some dried blood could still be found between floorboards in houses, a bit still splattered on walls or in crevices that the rain hadn’t found. Akurei slept in one of the houses here, always different. Her old apartment had been destroyed, and her house with Kakashi was a place she swore never to go again. So she went through different Uchiha houses, using whatever money she found to buy food, wearing the clothes of the deceased. The only house she avoided was Sasuke’s. She could feel him there sometimes.

She must have been lost in thought, because when she turned a corner she ran into the only other living Uchiha. How had she not noticed him? Sasuke seemed just as startled to see her. They both had been walking around like zombies, reliving horrible memories, too distracted to care about what was happening around them.

Sasuke had the red eyes of the sharingan. So he had learned how to use it. Akurei wondered if that too was Itachi’s doing.

They locked eyes for a second before Akurei felt a sudden burst of fire in her chest, her eyes hurting. It didn’t feel like Inabi pushing this time, but rather like something was being pulled. Her eyes burned more intensely and in a second both of their chakra was visible to her. Sasuke’s fire was reserved, wrapped around him tightly, while hers jolted erratically. She felt suddenly restless and apprehensive, something not quite as strong as panic but close, adrenaline making her blood run cold as the heat of Inabi’s fire chakra got stronger.

Legs suddenly weak and shaking she dropped to her knees, her body getting cold, yet the chakra continued to rush from within. She was losing control, but why? Sasuke stared at her with wide, confused eyes.

“Akurei, what…?” He muttered, but Akurei interrupted him with a scream as her hands flew up to cover her face. Her eyes were burning too much, and yet she felt so cold, so numb. Something wet and thick dripped through her fingers. Without seeing she knew Sasuke could see her thrashing bolts of red lightning, and he took a few steps back.

When she opened her eyes, her sharingan was gone. Had she blacked out for a few seconds? Sasuke was gone. She did her best to shove Inabi’s chakra back down. She wanted nothing more than to ask him why he had done that, but she didn’t want to approach the gates while he was this distressed. Maybe the sight of another sharingan had reminded him of Itachi…

She stood, still a bit unsteady. She was suddenly exhausted, despite not having done anything. Her body felt weird, like it was moving a second too late. There was a bizarre disconnect between what she wanted her body to do and what it did. She needed to lie down.

Akurei stumbled to the nearest residence, and climbed into the empty bed of someone she didn’t know. Inabi was being strangely quiet despite having just freaked out. She decided it was best not to engage with him, and closed her eyes. She was out within minutes.

  
  


  
  


  
  


Akurei hated being back at the academy. Hated being surrounded by inferior, impetuous people who were more concerned with their crushes than with their ability. Hated listening to lectures that she could have taught herself. Hated having to be in the same room as Sasuke. Since they'd been assigned to the same class together, they hadn't spoken once. They hardly even made eye contact.

She was glad that today was a reprieve from that place. She was almost excited to see Ibiki today, even if the fear of him figuring something out was constantly in the back of her mind. But at least that would be more interesting than the academy.

She walked slowly towards the Torture and Interrogation Force's main building. It was a large yet unimposing structure of only two floors, as most of it was underground. On the main floor she ran into Shimon. He nodded a greeting at her as he passed. She tried not to show how sad she was that they would probably never even be in the same room again. Her only chance of seeing any of the people she'd once worked with was confined to merely seeing them in passing.

Akurei heard a strange clicking sound a second before she saw a large black wolf turn the corner. Her insides jumped when their eyes met; he was terrifying. His piercing yellow eyes sent shivers down her spine as he strode by her, his shoulder blades protruding from his back, yet he was somehow graceful. She watched as it silently stalked passed her, turning her head to follow it with her eyes.

As she looked back to the front and almost turned the same corner, she nearly ran into Ibiki. He didn't stop, causing her to have to jump out of his way. He chuckled.

“Academy making you slow? Follow me,” He said gruffly. She quickly turned around and followed him down the narrow stairwell. The wooden floors turned into stone steps as she descended into the dark. At first she was excited, filled with a strange mix of nostalgia and hope. Hope that she could once again be where the interrogations took place. But as quickly as it came, that hope slowly turned into apprehension.

They walked through the stone hallways lit only by torches. It was always night down here, something that used to make Akurei feel powerful. But now it only made her feel weak. She let out a breath she had been holding when they passed the hallway that led to the cells. So he didn't want to lock her up again.

But her relief was short-lived. He stopped in front of one of the large cement rooms meant for interrogation, turning around and holding the door open for her. Akurei hesitantly walked in. He followed, shutting the door behind them.

The dim light illuminated a woman wearing a beautiful and sophisticated kimono lounging on the cement table. The kimono draped elegantly over the table, red and gold with intricate designs of white cranes with long necks. The air was slightly cloudy, the source coming from a long, thin gold pipe she held between slender fingers. Long, white-blonde hair was tied up in beautiful bun held together with red chopsticks. She exhaled a puff of smoke that dissipated into the stagnant air in the room.

Akurei crinkled her nose at the smell. It had a distinct odor, almost sweet, but it stung her nostrils. It didn't smell like any tobacco she had ever been around. The woman watched her apathetically with gorgeous light blue eyes.

“This her?” She asked, taking another deep inhale and blowing a cloud of smoke their way. “She might not even need to smoke, tiny thing would get high just being near me!” The woman chuckled, a deep and throaty laugh. Her voice was a little raspy from the smoke, but in a strangely alluring way. Ibiki stepped further into the room, towards two metal folding chair facing the table. He sat down in one and beckoned Akurei over. She took a hesitant step forward, but paused. The smoke was starting to sting her eyes.

“We're going to try something a little... different.” Ibiki said, a grin slowly forming on his face. “You will tell no one what you see here. And she,” He nodded towards the woman. “was never here. Do you understand?” Akurei nodded as she approached the chair. Ibiki had sat down on the chair closest to her feet, leaving he chair next to the woman's top half empty. Akurei didn't really want to be so close to the source of the smoke or her piercing blue eyes, but sat down. She had nothing to lose anyway.

_Tell this one to fuck off, too._

Akurei heard Inabi's deep voice echo in her head. She eyed the woman up and down, feeling a weird and sudden urge from deep within the flames. She was gorgeous, her body tall and slender. The kimono she wore was oddly low-cut, Akurei noticed. What she had thought was fabric on her chest was actually her skin. What was visible of her shoulders and chest was covered in beautiful, vibrant designs. She couldn't help but stare.

A puff of smoke being blown in her face snapped Akurei out of her trance. She coughed, turning her head away from the woman. It burned when she breathed, her eyes watered and throat hurt. After she had finally coughed the painful sensation away, she noticed her tongue felt weird and tingly.

_Don't breathe that!_

The voice in her head sounded slightly distorted, like it was farther away. She thought maybe she should be alarmed but found that she felt nothing. She found herself recalling the last time she had felt this empty; Ibiki had also been there. She hugged her arms close to her body, feeling the scars on her arms. But once again she didn't care. She almost felt like switching off her brain, like she wasn't even inside her own body anymore. But it felt good, and the voice with the fire was feeling numb, less heat, less anger. Was it calm, or was she just far away from it?

“You sure about this, boss?” The woman asked with an amused look, looking down at Akurei with a slight bit of concern on her blank face. Ibiki glared at her for questioning him, which caused the woman to subconsciously recoil.

“'Til she falls out of that chair.” He barked at her. The woman sighed.

“That won't take long,” She took another drag from the long, thin pipe, exhaling in Akurei's direction again. “I'm not trained for this like my cousin,” She warned. “I only use my power for pleasure these days. Not finding out creepy Uchiha clan secrets.” She said, tapping her fingernail on the metal pipe.

“Your cousin's methods aren't working. Now it's my turn to try. Just don't do anything weird, she's still a child.” Ibiki commanded, crossing his arms across his chest and watching the woman. Her face went back to apathetic as she took another drag. She didn't usually smoke this quickly, it was even starting to affect her. She decided to slow down and let the smoke hanging in the air work too. To someone who had never been exposed to it, the loose smoke alone would get her pretty loopy.

Akurei had never seen anything like this before. She had no idea what the woman was even smoking, but she knew it wasn't tobacco. Other than that she had no frame of reference. At least it wasn't burning her lungs anymore. Her head was feeling heavy, her eyelids wanted nothing more than to close. Her body felt like it was floating, like something was pulling her out of it. She had no reason to be, but she felt oddly content sitting on that hard metal chair. Or maybe she wasn't. She had no idea. It felt like she was lying down, now that she thought about it. But she didn't really care what her body was doing, as long as it felt this good.

“Told you,” The woman said, amused. She sat up as Ibiki stood, walking to where Akurei lie in a heap on the floor. He scooped up her limp body and lied her down on the table on her back. “So what exactly do you want me to look for?”

“Anything strange. Try to steer her memory to the night Itachi murdered everyone. I need to know what he did.” Ibiki said, his own body feeling the effects of the smoke. But it wasn't anywhere close enough to having him lose even an ounce of control. He would never let himself get to the point of immobilization.

“So... give the traumatized child a nightmare. What could go wrong?” The woman said sarcastically as she adjusted herself and lied down next to Akurei. She put her head down on her arm, draping her other arm across Akurei. Ibiki watched with a grave expression as she closed her eyes.

Her light blue eyes opened to darkness. It was thick, like a fog that enveloped her. That wasn’t something she’d seen before. She reached out with two long, thin hands, hoping to reveal something. The fog slowly parted for her as she walked, searching for any activity. There was a ripple beneath her feet as she continued on. Strange, since the girl had no water chakra affinity. She didn't feel anything wet, but with each footstep another ripple was sent out in all directions. She continued on, looking for the focal point of her dreams. It never took her this long to find.

Tiny, hair-thin bolts of blue lightning jolted through the black clouds on all sides of her. That made more sense, and meant she was getting closer to the source. But electricity was finicky, likely to change directions in a fraction of a second. Controlling the dream of one with natural lightning chakra was nearly impossibly, but Ibiki had given her the order. She continued.

There was a light behind the clouds, casting dark shadows. The tiny dark blue bolts were more frequent now as the light got brighter, they almost seemed to be pulsing. In a flash that made her jump, the clouds were pushed away as a huge fire exploded right in front of her. She instinctively threw her arms in front of her face to shield them from the sudden inferno. When she could see again, everything was red. The clouds and the electricity were gone. The fire was huge, reaching heights taller than she was. It almost seemed to make a barrier.

She reached out a hand hesitantly. She had never seen anything like this before. She had never spent so much time inside a mind without finding the person right away. Where was Akurei? Her hand got closer to the flames which flickered angrily. But slowly they lowered right in front of her, making a door. As she stepped through it almost felt like she was falling, every visual input a blur around her, moving at incredible speeds. Finally the visions started to form shapes. Buildings, every building was on fire. Suddenly she found it hard to breathe, like the fire was devouring all the oxygen around her, leaving nothing left for her but smoke. A blurry figure appeared before her. It was an Uchiha. They all looked the same to her. But this figure was twice as large as she was, and towered over her like a giant. His head was tilted up. He stared down at her with furious, red eyes.

An invisible blade slashed across his throat, opening it wide open. Hot liquid splashed all over her face before she could turn to guard herself. She twisted away from it, holding her hands over her head. Looking down she saw that the ground was red, the red liquid dripping from her body matching its color. She hadn't been walking through water; it was blood. The realization sent a panic through her as shapes began to form on the ground. Gutted bodies, limbs, organs all floated in the blood around her.

She tried to take a step to run but as soon as she moved a foot, the ground disappeared. She splashed down into the blood, feeling chunks touching her body. She thrashed, panicking as she kicked something squishy. She tried to keep her head above the surface but was sinking. Something was wrapped around her leg, long like spongy seaweed. The more she struggled, the more it was entangled around her legs. The end of it was connected to some kind of deflated bag.

She had to get out, she needed to get away from this. She was screaming, her own voice distorted in her ears. She couldn't breathe through the thick liquid. She needed to leave. She screamed, pulling herself out.

Ibiki was holding her under her arms, her legs kicking at the table as she crawled off it, thrashing. Her kimono was disheveled and coming loose under the obi, her colorfully tattooed legs bare as she kicked at nothing. She stopped screaming, her voice tired. All she could do was choke and gasp for air. As she finally calmed down enough where Ibiki set her down on her feet.

“What the hell was that?” He asked, his voice angry.

“I... I don't know! I didn't even do anything!” She stammered, clearly shaken. She also had never woken up in a pure panic, her body moving as it had in the dream. She didn't mention that part.

“Tell me what you saw.” He ordered flatly. The woman took a few moments to try to get her breathing under control. Her heart was racing.

“There was blood, so much blood, everywhere. And bodies. I couldn't even find Akurei.” She said, not even sure how to put into words the gore she had just witnessed. “I... have never not found someone. She wasn't even there. I don't know what that means.” The woman leaned on the table to steady herself, looking down at the small girl. She looked peaceful. Ibiki sighed.

“That's alright. Inoichi has never found her, either. I don't know why I thought this might work.” Ibiki said calmly. “He never found blood and corpses, though. Just endless nothing. So, maybe that’s something.”

“There was one person… Well, maybe like a shadow, or a memory… An Uchiha had his throat slit. It was his blood everywhere, I think. Is that helpful?” Akemi asked, looking up at Ibiki with concern.

“I’m not sure. Probably not. Lots of Uchiha died that night.” Ibiki and Akemi both watched Akurei lying on the table. Akemi crossed her arms, the long sleeves of the kimono hanging down gracefully.

“Well, thanks for the nightmares. You know I stopped doing this…” Akemi trailed off.

“I know. Thanks for trying, for me.” Ibiki regretted the words when Akemi glanced up at him, a playful smile on her face.

“You’re welcome, Ibiki.” He grunted and rolled his eyes.

“I will take you both back, once this smoke clears. Don't tell a soul about this, Akemi.”

“You have my word.” The woman said with a soft sigh. She didn't particularly want to relive it, anyway.

  
  


  
  



	11. Teammates

“There’s that creepy girl… I sure hope she’s not in my team.” Akurei pretended not to hear the hushed voice of one of the nameless boys in her grade. She had graduated, of course, near the top of her class in genjutsu and ninjusu, despite not attending much school at all. The instructors all knew she had once been training to join the Torture and Interrogation Force, and most were fine with her showing up for tests or to show she had already mastered the material. She didn’t need to learn how to make a shadow clone, or how to control her chakra. Plus when she wasn’t there, the other students got hurt much less.

Kakashi watched her from across the room. She had never forgiven him for abandoning her. She had never forgiven him for coming back, either. But she had never attacked him again, not since that day. She had never made a friend, either. Kakashi’s chest hurt whenever he thought about her. She was always alone now, and stayed in the Uchiha section of town for almost a year by herself until it was renovated. After that, the man who was feared by most got her a small house in a secluded area, far from the city center. She had always preferred to live away from all the chakra noise, being so sensitive to it.

Kakashi had occasionally asked Ibiki how she was doing, despite the man’s off-putting personality. Akurei still met with him and Inoichi frequently for psyche evaluations. It was one of the reasons she was allowed to skip so much school. Of course the teachers wanted her cleared before they assigned her a three man team and sent her on missions. He knew Ibiki cared a great deal for his sister, and knowing she still had him brought Kakashi some relief. He had messed up so much in his life. How could he have known what Itachi would do? But it was his idea to have the Uchiha train her. That was something he would never forgive himself for.

As Iruka announced the genin teams, all of the student fidgeted nervously. All except for Akurei. She stared out the window, looking bored. None of this mattered to her, Kakashi thought. Kakashi glanced over at the other survivor of the Uchiha massacre. He wondered why Sasuke and Akurei never became close. Neither seemed very adept at making friends, so they were similar there. They seemed to almost avoid each other at times. Kakashi wondered if it was because Akurei had somehow acquired the sharingan. It was one of the many reasons the other students were so afraid of her- no one understood it. Some assumed it had been transplanted like his own, but Kakashi knew if that was the case then she wouldn’t be able to disengage it like she did.

Iruka was getting close to revealing the team of his sister. It was a team Kakashi had suggested himself, having heard about some of Akurei’s skills from Ibiki. He was rather proud of his creation, but at the same time felt a little sorry for whoever would have to deal with them. It would not be a smooth transition, but maybe with time-

“Hatake Akurei. Hyuuga Jin. And Yamanaka Chiho. Please step forward.” Iruka announced. A couple of the other student mumbled, a few snickered. Kakashi thought he heard someone whisper ‘so this team has two girls.’ Kakashi would be sure to make him regret that, if he were unlucky enough to get Kakashi as his sensei. “Your teacher will be Hatake Kakashi.” Akurei turned to glare at him. Kakashi tried hard not to show his surprise. This isn’t the team he had been assigned in the briefing. Why had they changed it?

Once teams were assigned, the teacher was to take the students somewhere else to do introductions. Kakashi tried not to silently panic, remembering their last two interactions. But things were different now. She couldn’t expect to get away with anything like that again, now that he was her teacher. Kakashi silently left the orientation room. The three of them could follow him, or he could fail them immediately. He didn’t want to do that. Luckily, he heard at least two people stand up. Akurei was going to make herself a problem right away, then.

Kakashi decided he wasn’t going to wait for any of them. He hopped up some buildings and onto a flat roof of an apartment complex. He leaned against the cement wall that led to the emergency stairs and flipped open his book. He’d give them one minute. Kakashi mused that maybe he should have them do their introductions in the forest.

It only took a few seconds for the Yamanaka boy to follow. He landed gracefully and stood silently, waiting. The boy was unusually feminine, he even had a female name, something every student had tried hard to tease him about growing up. But his features were elegant, undeniably stunning. He had the long blonde hair of his clan tied back into a long ponytail, and piercing lavender eyes. He was a member of the clan known for their telepathy. It had actually been Ibiki’s idea to put him in the group together. Kakashi had agreed he would make a good addition to the strange yet hopefully effective other two.

The Hyuuga stomped to a halt next to Yamanaka, after jumping way too high into the air. This boy was the opposite of graceful. Even his chakra was wild, Kakashi could feel it from a mile away. He didn’t make an attempt to control it, for he had so much of it. He could be dangerous, if only he had skill. His eyes were the pale, nearly colorless eyes of the byakugan. He had the dark blue hair of the Hyuuga clan, but he cut it short and let it spike in whatever direction it felt like. Nearly every other Hyuuga left it long, almost like a status symbol. Kakashi got the feeling he wasn’t very close with his clan. He was also taller and older than any student in the academy, because he had failed twice.

Kakashi hoped Akurei wouldn’t ruin this team right from the start. But then he felt her. He leaned his head back, looking above him. She sat on the top of the emergency door, her legs dangling down. He hadn’t seen her this close for a long time. She was still serious, that hadn’t changed. Her silver-white hair had gotten much longer, it now cascaded down her back. She used her forehead protector as a headband to keep it back and out of her face, revealing her uninterested gray eyes. She didn’t look at any of her new teammates, but stared off into the distance.

“It seems we’re stuck with each other. Why don’t we introduce ourselves.” Kakashi said. The Hyuuga boy flopped down onto his butt and leaned back, watching everyone with interest. The Yamanaka boy remained standing, eyeing everyone suspiciously. Kakashi sighed. “I’ll go first. I’m Hatake Kakashi.” He started. There was a long silence.

“I’m Hyuuga Jin, nice to meet you,” He smiled. Kakashi thought he might be holding in some relief that he had finally passed the exams and was assigned a team. He could have been paired with anyone and he would have been happy.

“I’m Yamanaka Chiho.” The boy said flatly, frowning slightly. He did not seem to be impressed with his teammates. The three of them all looked up.

“Akurei.” She said. She didn’t look pleased nor angry, she just looked like she didn’t care. Kakashi knew she didn’t want to be here, and was still pretty crushed that her dreams had been stolen. But there was still time, it wasn’t too late, he wanted to tell her. Instead he stayed silent, and turned to the others.

“Great, now that we all know each other, let’s meet at the forest by Konoha’s main entrance tomorrow at 4am, sharp. And don’t eat breakfast.” Jin let out a huge groan.

“Oh my god, why so early, sensei?” He let himself fall onto his back, groaning. Kakashi did not bother to respond, and disappeared. Chiho turned and walked away, his footsteps light and his posture perfect. “Where are you going? Wanna get ramen? My treat!” Chiho didn’t break stride.

“No.” He jumped down from the roof and landed on the street without a sound. Jin sulked. He turned to ask his other teammate, but she was already gone.

As the sun breached the trees, Chiho wondered if his new sensei should even be allowed to use that title. Jin had fallen asleep an hour ago, sprawled out on the ground on his back. Neither Hatake had arrived yet. The sun rose at about 6. Neither was late by a few minutes. Chiho wondered why he even bothered getting out of bed.

Another hour, and Chiho was considering heading back. Jin still hadn’t woken up, his breathing steady and his chest slowly rising and falling. At least one of them was able to get some sleep.

He felt a presence before he knew who it was. Akurei had appeared in a tree above them, sitting on a branch. She gave a small wink.

“I’ve been here the whole time, ok?” She said with a smirk. Chiho tried not to show how incredible annoyed he was at her audacity. Her amused expression quickly turned back into that of boredom. Chiho heard someone else approaching. Finally, he thought.

“You’re late, sensei!” Jin bolted upright so suddenly Chiho’s insides jumped. He hadn’t thought Jin was awake. He hadn’t been awake. But now he was on his feet. Kakashi entered the clearing, clearly in no rush. He gave an unapologetic chuckle.

“Sorry, I had to turn around, I forgot my…” his voice trailed off. He couldn’t even be bothered to come up with a decent excuse. “Follow me, let’s get started.” He walked off into the forest. Jin and Chiho exchanged annoyed glances. Akurei jumped down from her place on the branch, landing between them. Chiho raised an amused eyebrow. He had known Akurei was the shortest in the academy, but when standing next to Jin it became comical. He towered over her, and she looked even smaller than normal. She shot Chiho a glare, as if she could sense his amusement.

They followed Kakashi for a while before entering another clearing. He turned around to face the three. He reached into his pocket and pulled out two small, silver bells, each tied to a short red string. He dangled them in front of him.

“Each of you must get a bell before…” His eyes wandered up to the sky, as if thinking. Chiho wondered if their new sensei did much of that. “Lunch time. Or something.”

“There are only two bells,” Jin said, his browns furrowed in confusion.

“Yes. Only two of you will succeed. The last will be sent back to the academy.” Kakashi stated bluntly. He didn’t sound sympathetic, or even like he was giving a warning. So this weird air of boredom was just a Hatake thing. Jin looked worried, and a little disappointed. Akurei’s expression didn’t change. Chiho wondered if his own nervousness was showing.

“Akurei… come here.” She looked a little surprised, but hesitantly stepped forward. Kakashi pulled something out of his bag. It was a rope. He let half of it fall to the ground, holding onto one end. She glared at him suspiciously, but didn’t say anything. Kakashi put his arms on her shoulders and spun her around so her back was facing him, and grabbed her right arm.

“What do you think you’re doing?” She snapped. Kakashi wrapped the ends of the rope around her wrist, around her waist and over her shoulder until her arm was tied securely behind her back. Chiho watched with a mix of confusion and enjoyment. Whatever their deal was, at least this would make getting a bell easier.

“This is your punishment for being late. If you untie yourself, you will be failed immediately.” Kakashi said. Chiho stifled a snicker. Akurei’s jaw dropped. At first she looked amused, as if he couldn’t possibly be doing that. But that slowly turned into anger.

“Wait, sensei,” Jin said. “She was there the whole time!” Chiho looked at him, unsure of what to think. Was he going to try to help her? That would mean she wouldn’t be at a disadvantage, and his chance of getting a bell went down. Why would he do that? He could have easily kept quiet. But he didn’t. Jin had finally gotten out of the academy, why was he risking going back? Kakashi paused and turned to Chiho. He was waiting for confirmation. Kakashi was an elite ninja, of course he would know if they were lying. Was this a test? Chiho ran the options through his head every way he could think of it, and still didn’t know what the right answer was.

“Well, Chiho?” Kakashi asked. Chiho realized he was taking too long to respond. He looked at Akurei. She wasn’t even trying to look like she was pleading for him to lie for her. In fact, the rage on her face made him not want to. Kakashi would definitely know if he was lying. Jin could use the excuse of being asleep, but Chiho couldn’t.

“No, Jin, you were asleep… she was late.” He said, still not knowing if it was the right answer. Kakashi tightened the ropes with a tug.

“Alright, then. You can start now.” He said, turning his back to the three and strolling towards a large tree. He leaned against it, reaching into his bag and pulling out a book. He held it up to his face and started reading.

“You have got to be kidding me,” Akurei scoffed. She and her brother had barely spoken in years, and this is how he treats her? She had to admit, if he had given her any special treatment she wouldn’t have respected him. The fact that he was showing her right away that she couldn’t get away with anything somehow got her approval, despite how incredible annoyed she was. So this would be fun after all.

She had still been able to sense Kakashi’s chakra from across the village, even after all this time. She had known exactly when he would show up at that clearing, she didn’t need to rush at all. But she should have been anticipating him knowing exactly what she would do. That was a mistake, but she wouldn’t make any more.

Akurei remembered how their last fight had gone. She had destroyed him. And almost herself, but that part was inconsequential. Their chakra was still a perfect match, and now they both shared fire, too. She wondered how that would affect their chakra resonating. She had perfect control of her lightning, but the fire, that was Inabi. She only had access to it when he allowed it. Which was almost never. But she didn’t need it.

Akurei cursed inwardly that her handicap would make hand seals impossible. But her best skill was chakra manipulation, which required no hand seals. Without moving a muscle Akurei made one of her chakra tendrils as thin as she could, and flat, pointed straight at Kakashi. He didn’t have his sharingan out, so hope fully he couldn’t see it. She did another, then another. He didn’t react as she positioned five arms around him, needle-thin and waiting at some of his tenketsu. She struck, as fast as she could plunge the needles, but Kakashi vanished. A cold chill went up her spine as she felt him directly behind her, his head over her shoulder. How had he moved so fast? She hadn’t even felt it.

“That isn’t going to work again, Akurei.” He said. She spun around, kunai in her left hand, which he dodged effortlessly. Jin used that as an opportunity to strike, his fist pulled back as he dashed towards his sensei. Kakashi wasn’t the only one who had to dodge as Jin’s fist blasted out a wave of chakra. Akurei almost hadn’t dodged it. She jumped the opposite way of Kakashi, almost getting hit by her teammate’s wild attack. Jin pounced after Kakashi, another fist ready and glowing with chakra. Kakashi dodged a blitz of punches and kicks, each one discharging a huge amount of chakra with seemingly no destination.

Akurei watched in astonishment. Jin didn’t even look tired. How was he managing to be so wasteful with his chakra? He wouldn’t last five more minutes. He was throwing it away with every attack, chakra exploding out in all directions. It wasn’t even dense or focused at where he was punching. Akurei decided to take advantage of this.

“Don’t stop, Jin,” She said, reaching towards him with her own chakra. She had never thought to investigate her teammates when they met yesterday. She should have done that, but she just hadn’t cared enough. And being teamed with her brother had thrown her off. Her chakra danced at the edge of his. It wasn’t hard, it was being discharged in every direction. Wind. That could explain why it was so hectic. Wind was one of the most difficult elements to control, but Jin didn’t even seem to be trying to. Akurei tried to grab some of his chakra that was being wasted. Maybe she could turn it into something useful.

As hard as she tried to hold onto it, as soon as she touched his wind it was gone. It just vaporized, it was moving too fast, too spread out. There was no focal point to latch onto. Akurei didn’t want to rip his chakra from his body, but she couldn’t hold onto anything he was wasting. She might need to use sharingan to even see what was going on with his insane chakra. But she couldn’t ask anything of Inabi right now. If he was in a bad mood, she couldn’t risk anyone seeing her space out.

Kakashi vanished again, leaving the three of them in the clearing. Jin didn’t even look tired. If Akurei had attempted anything like that, she would be exhausted. That would have used up almost all of her chakra. Jin must have had an incredible amount if that didn’t even faze him.

Chiho vanished too, following the scent of Kakashi’s chakra. He was a sensory type, as were the rest of the Yamanaka. He had memorized the chakra signatures of his team yesterday, of course. Kakashi’s and Akurei’s were strikingly similar because they were family, and Jin’s was an absolute mess. But he felt the direction his sensei had gone, and immediately pursued.

For his plan to work, he might need Jin again. Or any distraction, really. Luckily he could sense the other two following behind him. He didn’t know what would happen to the one who didn’t get a bell, but he swore he wasn’t going to find out. He was far too intelligent to be sent back to the academy.

Suddenly Akurei shot ahead of him. She was faster than he could keep track of, landing on branches in the trees with a crack before rocketing ahead. Jin too was gaining speed, and for some reason was releasing chakra as he jumped through the trees after Akurei. He landed on each branch that she had, his chakra a whirlwind of destruction tearing down smaller branches and leaves. Chiho had to dodge a rogue piece of tree. These would be fine distractions.

Akurei used her chakra arms to give her a speed boost, making sure not to release any of her chakra in the process like her reckless teammate. She pulled in one, and pushed behind her with the other as she jumped, taking advantage of the extra momentum. She had enough tendrils out to keep them in a constant cycle; as soon as one was forcefully drawn inward another would jolt back to take its place in the front.

She could tell Kakashi had completely extinguished his chakra, but she could still feel the path it had taken. She reached out as far as she could with her chakra, scanning, feeling for any sign of Kakashi. She had reached the end of his trail, but pressed on. She was thankful Jin was following, she might have use of his chakra later.

Akurei pushed one more time from the branch with all her force, suddenly stopping with a jerk mid-air. She swung down like a pendulum. Someone had grabbed her ankle. She hung suspended below the last branch she had leapt from. Kakashi was using his chakra to stand on the underside of the branch, holding onto Akurei’s leg.

“You were way off. I figured I’d give you a hand,” Kakashi said, but the humor was lost on Akurei. Jin chortled from a different branch, in obvious amusement. She was incredibly annoyed that she hadn’t seen him below her. How was he moving faster than her lightning techniques? He didn’t seem to be using his own lightning. Or maybe he was, but it was so fast she couldn’t even feel it. Akurei pouted at the thought.

As she pulled her free leg towards her chest, readying to kick at his arm, he let go. Akurei twisted around and landed on her feet and one free arm. Kakashi was already on the ground before her. Jin landed on the other side of Kakashi with a loud crash, his chakra making a slight dent in the ground under his feet. Akurei sensed his chakra was about to go on the offensive again. She contemplated joining him this time, but his wild chakra made her take a step back instead. She would have to wait for an opportunity to grab at the bells tied to her brother’s belt.

Jin began another barrage of powerful taijutsu, his chakra flying around madly. But this time, Kakashi fought back. With one hand busy holding his book, he successfully dodged and blocked every attack, even getting a few swings in. Jin was not even slowed down by getting hit. What was with this guy?

Akurei felt Kakashi shoot some chakra down to his right leg to power up his kick with speed. She couldn’t have stopped it even if she wanted to. One kick to Jin’s unguarded side sent him flying. He crashed into a tree and crumpled to the ground. But he got right back up, coughing and catching his breath, using the tree to steady himself.

“Not bad, Jin. But your chakra is too unfocused, and your attacks are easy to read.” Kakashi said, looking back to his book. Jin coughed more. “I suggest not getting hit in the future.” This time Akurei was the one to snicker.

Jin rushed at him again. His chakra hadn’t gotten any more controlled. If anything, it was even wilder than before. Kakashi blocked and dodged without ever taking his eyes off the book in his hand. Jin swung his leg at Kakashi’s head, who ducked and then swept his other leg out from under him. But no matter how many times Kakashi knocked him down, he was back on his feel immediately.

_Come here._

Akurei blinked and was standing in darkness, before the huge red gates. Inabi was on the other side, his eyes blood red. He looked excited.

“This looks fun. Let me play,” He commanded.

“Inabi, you can’t call me here when other people are around.” Akurei said, her voice not able to hide her anger and worry.

“How else can I talk to my best friend?” He said, shifting his weight and crossing his arms over his chest. He was always restless now, something she took pity on when it wasn’t so annoying. He took pleasure in tormenting her. It was his only hobby.

“You don’t need to talk to me!” She retorted, throwing her arms up in frustration. “And you know I don’t need to be here to be able to hear you!”

“Fine.” He rolled his eyes. “Let’s go,”

Akurei felt the familiar ache in her eyes as they changed. It had been a while since he had allowed her to use his power. It wasn’t as painful anymore, just an uncomfortable transition. She could see the depths of the Hyuuga’s chakra as he fought. It was vast, but not endless, and it was starting to show how much he was using. She glanced at her brother; his chakra wasn’t normal. Of course. He was having Jin waste his chakra fighting a clone. It was a good one, a near perfect system comparable to that of a human. But it wasn’t Kakashi’s. She knew it too well. How had she not noticed? Why hadn’t Jin even activated his byakugan? Why had neither of them done the most obvious thing?

“Jin, stop,” Akurei called to him. He wasn’t listening, of course. But she could dismantle the clone, at least. She readied her chakra into needles when she noticed something strange. A tiny chakra system was behind Kakashi. A squirrel leapt nimbly from a tree trunk, faster than any squirrel should be able to, directly at the distracted clone. He was going for a bell. Akurei squinted in confusion.

The tiny animal managed to snatch one, and quickly scurried away from Jin’s rampage. Jin had noticed, and stopped his attack. Everyone stared at the squirrel. Kakashi vanished in a puff of smoke. The squirrel looked about as defeated as squirrel features would allow.

The real Kakashi walked out from behind a tree, holding a limp Chiho up by the throat. He walked slowly towards Jin and Akurei and tossed Chiho’s body to the ground before them.

“If I was an enemy, you would be dead, Chiho.” He scolded. The squirrel jolted back to its senses and scurried away. In a few seconds Chiho opened his eyes, gasping. He sat upright to face his sensei. “Leaving your body unguarded was foolish. You have two teammates.” Chiho stood up, a bit disoriented, visibly disappointed. “But I am a benevolent teacher. I’ll give you all a second chance.” Kakashi sighed, turning around and walking away again. He settled in against a tree and started reading.

_I said, let’s go._


	12. Doubts

Akurei could feel Inabi’s fire swell up inside her. He wanted to start off immediately with a fire attack. She tried to keep him reigned in; he can’t just go discharging chakra everywhere for fun. But he probably wouldn’t listen for long. She might be able to control it well enough, she hoped. He wasn’t fighting her for control for once. His amusement seemed to have him in a good mood.

“Jin, use your byakugan, you ape,” Chiho spat. So he was giving orders now. Jin frowned but obliged, putting up his hands in a seal in front of his face. “Akurei, use your…Wait, where did that fire come from?” Chiho said, startled. Her chakra signature had changed completely. Her lightning one was still there, but there was a separate one, overlapping. It did not match hers in the slightest. In fact they seemed at odds. Usually when a ninja masters two elements, they morphed together in the user’s system, releasing either separately or together. But the signature itself didn’t change much. This was like nothing he’d ever seen. It was like two separate people.

Akurei reached in front of her to form a seal and release Inabi’s chakra. But her right arm didn’t move. She had forgotten it was behind her. Her eyes widened. How had she not thought of this? Every fire jutsu she knew required hand seals. If Inabi wasn’t angry before, he would be soon. She tried to project feelings of calm before Inabi realized why she wasn’t attacking.

“Ok, we can do more than just jutsu,” She muttered under her breath, hoping that no one could hear. She knew Inabi could, though. “I have an idea.” She watched Jin’s chakra. Its natural state seemed to be that of a tornado. But maybe she didn’t need to take his chakra, only direct it. She got her blood red tendrils ready, surrounding Jin. He took a step back.

“Woah, your chakra is weird.” Jin said.

“Isn’t it?” Chiho agreed.

“Shut up. Jin, use your taijutsu again. I have an idea.” Akurei said softly. Kakashi perked up, interested, and glanced up from his book as Jin exploded towards him. He knew his sensei wasn’t a clone this time. He began another bombardment of powerful kicks and punches. This time, Kakashi put his book away. He decided to give the Hyuuga a challenge.

The two were locked in battle. Jin proved just as capable at defense as he was at offence. His blocks were smooth, and even had his chakra soften the blows when he was paying attention. Akurei sprang to a tall branch to get a good vantage point, and focused her chakra around Jin. They were moving fast, but she could catch some of his discarded power. She positioned the tendrils all around him, testing their compatibility before going in too deep. It was unpredictable, but all she had to do was grab it and hopefully aim it at Kakashi.

It hooked. Quickly she condensed his wind as much as she could and threw it before it accidentally damaged herself. It wasn’t even close to hitting her target, but the wind had created a path through the forest, slicing branches clean of their trees. Jin hesitated, distracted by the sight of their new attack. Kakashi took advantage of it and knocked him over with a fast kick to his head. Jin’s chakra dissipated, he was dazed on the ground.

Kakashi was in front of them before they could react. Akurei bolted to the side with a crack, dodging three kunai thrown at her. Chiho jumped back, but wasn’t fast enough to dodge a direct hit to his chest. He went flying out of the clearing, landing in a crumpled heap. By this time, Jin had recovered and Kakashi had gone back to fighting him again. Akurei had another chance. Jin was good at keeping opponents distracted, at least.

She caught his chakra easier this time and threw a compressed dart of his wind. This time, Kakashi had only just barely dodged it. He looked surprised as a few more of the darts sped towards him, making small indents into trees when they missed. She couldn’t do it rapidly, as Jin’s chakra was extremely hard to catch. If she could do it faster, it might be effective.

Inabi’s fire was pushing out of her. He wanted to try, too. She collected his heat in the tips of her tendrils, and the next time it caught, she threw some of Inabi’s chakra too. It turned into a laser-focused ray of heat propelled with the speed of her lightning, leaving a smoldering dent in a tree trunk. Both Kakashi and Jin turned with wide eyes to look at it.

Kakashi could not hide his shock that she had figured out the reason he had wanted these two paired together so quickly. The one with the best chakra control in the academy and the one with the absolute worst. They had already started working together. Well, kind of. It was more like Akurei was using Jin with no plan or regard for his safety. But that was a start.

Kakashi knew that to easily dismantle their attacks, all he had to do was take out Akurei. Jin was especially adept at taijutsu and wasting chakra, but Kakashi knew he could easily get past him. Jin’s chakra was too wild for Akurei to keep Kakashi at a distance herself. He dodged a few more flaming projectiles and changed his stance. Instead of blocking the next punch from Jin, Kakashi leaned and pulled Jin’s arm forward. The extra momentum catching him completely off-guard, and Kakashi took him down with an elbow to his back, fluidly jumping to Akurei’s spot on the branch. She jumped backwards in shock, trying to block with her one free arm, but Kakashi swung his leg over her and knocked her straight down to the ground with a spinning kick.

As he jumped down, readying another kick, he was tackled from the side. Chiho had grabbed him around the waist, knocking him off his course. His hand reached for the bells, but Kakashi spun again and kicked him to the side. Chiho landed gracefully on his feet, pulled out two kunai and charged towards him. Kakashi knew that the Yamanaka’s taijutsu was limited, but he decided to test it. He jumped back, shifting his focus onto the blonde-haired boy.

Akurei rolled over onto her side, struggling to get up with no arms. Absorbing the full force of that kick with her left arm hurt a lot more than she thought it would. She hadn’t had time to even use any chakra to shield herself. Her forearm felt like it was being stabbed with kunai, even though there was no blood. A fracture, maybe. At the very least a nasty bone bruise. It was still throbbing with pain, her right arm tied behind her back. She lied on the ground for a few moments, gritting her teeth in pain. One kick had taken her down. She could feel Inabi getting angry.

She opened her eyes. Chiho was kneeling beside her. But Akurei could still hear him fighting her brother. No, that was a clone. The real Chiho helped her into a sitting position and pulled out a kunai. He cut the ropes around her. They fell to the ground, loosely around her and on her lap. She stared at him, holding her left arm with her right. Was he trying to get her failed? Maybe that was his plan. Eliminate the competition. Chiho shook his head and grinned, reading her sullen expression.

“Kakashi-sensei only said you can’t remove your ropes… He didn’t say I couldn’t.” He said, smirking at his own cleverness. Technically he was right, she thought. But would Kakashi see it that way? She heard Chiho’s clone dissipate. Akurei stood. Inabi was ready.

Jin was standing, back in the fight, but he looked like he was wearing down. His attacks were slower, and his chakra was a little muted. Kakashi barely had to try to block and dodge, and more and more of his hits were going through Jin’s defenses.

“Jin, move!” Akurei yelled as she rapidly formed hand signs, wincing at the pain in her left arm. She probably didn’t even need to warn Jin; he still had his byakugan engaged. Akurei shot a huge fireball at Kakashi. They both jumped out of the line of fire as the clearing exploded. This fire seemed slow in comparison to the darts from before, but Inabi liked his big attacks. Must be part of that Uchiha arrogance. She felt him get cross at that thought.

Inabi forced more fire outward, catching Akurei off guard a bit. The only thing she could do with it was expel it in another fireball. This one hit the trees and broke apart, but still missed Kakashi. Another fireball she hadn’t particularly wanted to fire shot out. That was probably for calling him arrogant.

The next fireball she decided to grab, and use her own chakra to steer. She was prone to smaller, more precise attacks, and tried to force the fire quickly down the length of one of her tendrils before expelling it. It kind of worked. The fire didn’t go in a straight line, but instead curved, a much smaller version of Inabi’s huge attack. If she could get it more precise, and take more control, she could create something new. If Inabi would allow it. So far he wasn’t being too overpowering.

Akurei hopped nimbly to another branch, scanning. She had lost sight of her brother, which meant he would probably attack. She couldn’t even see him with her sharingan right now.

“Akurei!” Jin called to her as the hit connected. Akurei didn’t even see the kick from behind, or feel herself falling. She lie on the ground, the back of her head pounding. Jin had gone back to fighting Kakashi, so luckily she was left alone.

Well, not totally alone. Inabi’s fire flared up again. He was angry. Angry she hadn’t let him have more control, angry she had tried to manipulate his attack. Angry that she got hit, when he could have easily stopped it. Akurei gripped the grass between her fingers, trying to make the ground stop spinning as Inabi’s chakra flooded her system in full force. She felt like she might pass out, the pressure in her head was throbbing so much, her chest burning, she couldn’t breathe.

Akurei didn’t know what would happen if she fainted while Inabi was trying to take over her system. Would he be able to control her, even from inside his cage? She had never found out the answer to that, and she didn’t want to right now. But he did. He really, really wanted to know.

Akurei couldn’t contain both of their chakras. His fire was trying to force her lightning out. Deep blue lightning discharged in every direction without a target. She tried to push back, which sent out bolts of fire that left huge smoldering holes in trees. She screamed, but couldn’t hear herself over the crashing, chirping, burning sounds that filled her ears. Then everything was black.

Chiho had no idea what he had just witnessed. It felt as if Akurei’s chakra was fighting itself. But that wasn’t even possible. Kakashi had kicked her in the back of the head pretty hard. Had it caused her to lose control of a jutsu? Possibly. That would have been some incredible jutsu, judging from the sheer destruction it caused by failing. But it still felt unlike anything he had ever seen. He had to dodge two elements twisted together into something horrifying. Luckily Jin and Kakashi were far enough away that they didn’t have much to dodge. Kakashi’s chakra felt a little nervous, however. Maybe he knew something they didn’t about his sister’s chakra.

But the nervousness faded when he saw Akurei was just passed out, but otherwise fine. Her chakra was depleted, but not dangerously so. That kick to her head must have really rattled her brain.

Before either Jin or Chiho could react, Kakashi was no longer in the clearing with Jin, but kneeling over their fallen teammate. He picked her up, grabbing her around her shoulder with one arm. Her head flopped back limply against his chest, revealing her neck. Kakashi held a kunai up to it.

“You have thirty seconds to decide which one of you goes back to the academy, with Akurei.” He said. His chakra pattern was suddenly menacing, his one revealed eye more focused than Chiho had ever seen it. Chiho got chills just from being nearby, his adrenaline spiking. Both teammates were startled and at a loss for words. Did he mean to have the two of them fight? Chiho could not stand up against Jin’s taijutsu. “Twenty-five.”

It was then Chiho saw that Akurei’s arms dangled down at her sides, right next to the bells tied to Kakashi’s belt. He could get one. Then he wouldn’t have to fight Jin. He used his mind-switch technique faster than he ever had. He knew he could be faster than his teammate. Jin still hadn’t even figured out they should be fighting.

Akurei’s arm shot out towards the bells, grabbing both in one hand as Kakashi jumped away. Akurei smiled triumphantly, but looked over to Chiho’s body. Kakashi was kneeling over it, this time the kunai at his throat.

“Chiho, you’re dead for the second time today. What good are the bells to you?” Kakashi said, squinting with mild annoyance. Akurei frowned.

_Oh? Who is this?_

A deep voice growled in his head. Chiho’s blood ran cold, his eyes wide and terrified in Akurei’s body.

_You wouldn’t mind letting me out of here, would you? It would be a huge help._

The voice’s tone was playful yet sinister. The words didn’t mean as much as the way he said them. Like a demon whispering in his ear, toying with him. Chiho felt himself starting to panic. He had to get out of Akurei’s body. Both Jin and Kakashi watched him, feeling how scared he was but not knowing why.

_Get out!!_

This time it was Akurei’s voice. He left as quickly as he could as she pushed him out with force. An animal or unconscious body was easy to possess, but not someone who was awake. That took focus that Chiho was not managing to exert through his fear. But he wanted to get out just as badly as she wanted him out.

Chiho’s body shot up, so he was sitting, facing Akurei. He scrambled backwards to put more space in between them as Akurei slowly sat up, her hands on her head and clearly dizzy. Kakashi backed off, letting Chiho crawl further away. Jin was staring, his byakugan still invoked, and looked incredibly confused. Kakashi just watched.

“What the hell was that?! What are you?! Who was that?!” Chiho sputtered out the words faster than he could think. Akurei groaned, rubbing the back of her head. She looked at her hand.

“Oh look, I got the bells.” She seemed to be a little out of it, but grinned. Chiho just stared with his mouth open. He had just heard voices, a male voice, inside his teammate’s head. That had never happened before in his entire life. A struggling host can push him out, and a strong one can even think through his possession, but he had never heard a different voice before. There were definitely two distinct voices. Was she crazy? Kakashi stood.

“The test is over. Chiho, you are dead. Jin, you do not have a bell. Akurei, the bells don’t matter.” He stated bluntly. Akurei tsk’d and tossed the bells to the ground.

“So… we all fail?” Jin said hesitantly, his face a mess of confusion about everything he had just witnessed.

“No. You pass. But barely.” Kakashi looked up to the sky and sighed. “This was a test to see if you could work together under stress.” He said. “Jin, you tried from the beginning to help Akurei not have a disadvantage. Chiho, you eventually figured out you could free her if you wanted to. Akurei…” His eyes drifted towards his sister. “You used Jin’s chakra well, but you shouldn’t be _using_ a teammate. Still, it was a good first try, since the three of you don’t know each other well yet. Someday you three will make an incredible team.” He smiled behind his mask.

Chiho’s eyes were still fixed on Akurei. Did he really want to be on a team with someone like her? Who had he heard? Why did she have someone else’s voice in her head? And why had he asked Chiho to free him? Chiho knew some members of his family were adept at telepathy, but this wasn’t any of them, he knew for sure. This voice came from deep within Akurei. It wasn’t anyone sending her messages from outside.

“Chiho,” Kakashi said. Chiho snapped his attention to his sensei. “Your technique is a unique one, but it leaves you at a huge disadvantage. You took two risks, both of which got you killed. This is not a technique you should be using without your teammates knowledge. Also, you have been training as a medical-nin. You could have tried to heal Akurei instead of possessing her, or protect her while she manipulated Jin’s chakra.” He had a good point, but Chiho doubted he could have protected her anyway. “Jin, you wasted almost all of the chakra you threw at me. Akurei, get your fire under control, or don’t use it.”

All three of them were silent, waiting. Chiho was happy that he had passed, but had a sense of dread he couldn’t get over.

“That’s all for today. We’ll meet again tomorrow, same time. Don’t be late,” Kakashi taunted, a smirk almost visible under his mask. Their sensei disappeared in a puff of smoke, leaving the three teammates alone in the rubble of their training. Chiho wanted badly to confront Akurei, but hesitated. She sat on the ground, not yet ready to get up.

“Um… Akurei? Your chakra looks like it’s fighting itself…” Jin started. His byakugan was still active. It must be easy for him to use it for so long, with as much chakra as he had. “Why don’t you use them together?” Chiho was glad Jin had asked, but that was only a part of Chiho’s questions.

Akurei didn’t look up. Her left arm was a dark shade of purple, and her right hand held her head, which seemed to be in a lot of pain. Chiho sat down next to her and held out his hand. She instinctively pulled back, but relaxed once she saw the gentle glow of chakra on his hands. Her arm was fractured, but that was an easy fix.

Jin came and sat down across from the two, watching their chakra. Akurei’s was weak, a few dark blue tendrils whipping slowly through the air. They didn’t reach very far, not like they had before. These ones only reached a few meters out. And they weren’t jagged and threatening like her lightning chakra usually was. Whatever had happened with her second element, it had nearly wiped out her reserve of the element she seemed to favor. Jin wondered why she almost always used only lightning, when her fire seemed so much stronger, so much more abundant. She hadn’t mastered fire yet. But why wasn’t her lightning drawing from the same chakra reserve as the fire? All her chakra should be coming from the same place, regardless of element. Or he thought. Jin frowned, not understanding.

Chiho’s chakra was gathered in his hands, gentle and soothing light blue. Water. That must be why healing came easy for him. Water was the calmest element, easy to control, adaptable, soothing. Jin loved watching people with that element. His own was so unruly and chaotic, but watching chakra flow like water made him feel calm.

“Akurei… Jin’s right. We can both see, or feel it… Maybe we can help,” Chiho said nervously. He didn’t want to cross any boundaries, but he also wanted to know if his teammate was fit for battles where he may need to rely on her. He also didn't want to start a fight, or more importantly show how much she scared him “And I heard something, earlier…” Akurei’s eyes flashed to him.

“You can’t help me.” Akurei said, and she meant it. “And you didn’t hear anything. Maybe I was dreaming.” She muttered. Would that be an adequate excuse? Akurei had no idea how the Yamanaka’s powers worked. Could they hear thoughts? Dreams? But she knew Chiho had heard Inabi. She had felt his terror. At least Inabi hadn’t been able to do much while she was out. Nothing but scare her teammate. Inabi wasn’t able to possess her, but her teammate was. Akurei sighed inwardly. Something else to take control away from her. She was just glad Inabi hadn’t been able to harm Chiho while he was in her head. It was getting a little crowded in there.

_Come here._

“Not now, Inabi!” Akurei growled, but he had managed to pull her in incredibly fast. She was already standing before his gate. “What are you doing? There are people looking at me right now!”

“Someone was here,” If Inabi had a tail, it would be flicking with delight.

“I know that, and he’s already suspicious so why have you called me here?” Akurei blurted frantically.

“How did he hear me? Inoichi has never found me... Bring him back.” Inabi was grinning. Akurei had never seen him this playful; it was disturbing. Like a cat watching an injured mouse try to escape. Maybe being locked up in that cage was making him lose his mind.

“Don’t be stupid. I’m leaving,”

Akurei opened her eyes, she was back next to her teammates. Her left arm looked much better, the bruise almost completely faded. She clenched her fist and stretched out her fingers without any pain.

“Akurei, you might have a bad concussion. Your chakra just slowed down, and you looked asleep. Can I try to heal the swelling?” Chiho asked. He didn’t know where she had just gone, but he didn’t think it looked like sleep. Her chakra slowed down dramatically and abruptly, almost at a stop, something that only happens when one is in deep sleep. Even if she had fallen asleep for a moment there was no way she could have gone into such a state so fast. Everything about her felt wrong.

Chiho went ahead and paced his hands on her temples, since she clearly didn't plan on responding. There was some swelling, but nothing out of the ordinary. He gently released some of his chakra and her eyes closed halfway. Chiho knew he was especially gifted at healing, his technique had been praised by his teachers at the academy for how soothing and gentle it was. Akurei calmed down a lot, which surprised him. She hadn’t been this calm while he was healing her arm, he thought. But now she seemed like she could fall asleep in his hands. It was a weird and slightly uncomfortable feeling. Chiho was having difficult accepting that he couldn't predict her emotions whatsoever.

“You should probably get some rest,” Chiho said to her, letting go of her head. She looked up at him like a disgruntled animal he had just stopped petting.

“Yeah… Thanks,” She mumbled. Jin stood up.

“I’ll see you guys tomorrow,” He said, standing up and disappearing. Akurei stood up, too, but Chiho grabbed her wrist.

“Akurei… Please, tell me the truth,” Chiho's words were almost a warning, his face grave. Akurei just glared at him. She would surely be removed from this team if she did. Possibly live the rest of her life being experimented on by Ibiki. She pulled her arm away, her eyes losing their intensity. She looked almost sorry as she turned away and disappeared. Chiho glared angrily into the empty forest. He didn't know why, but he knew he had to get the upper hand.

Chiho woke up to the smell of dinner. He had taken a nap after leaving his team, exhausted from being awake since 4am. The sun was setting and his room was a dim shade of orange. He stretched and stood up, walking lazily to the door. He could sense everyone in the house, all gathered near the kitchen. The energy was livelier today than normal. He could sense his cousin’s excitement and hear her talking from upstairs.

As he entered the kitchen he saw Ino scooping rice out from the rice cooker into bowls and placing them on the large kitchen table, still chattering away to his other cousin, Sayuri. She was a tall and elegant woman, her light blonde hair up in a messy bun and her glasses resting on the top of her head. She wore a simple hospital uniform, but it was much different than the scrubs of a regular doctor. She must have just gotten off work.

Sayuri listened to Ino with interest as she blathered on about her teammates. Ino had already known who would be on her team, so why was she excited? The two continued to set plates of fish and steamed vegetables down in the center of the table as Chiho heard the front door open. Chiho almost didn’t notice the small child scurry under his feet and nearly stepped on her hand as she crawled. Another child jumped in front of him and scooped her up just in time.

“Thanks, Muka-chan,” Chiho said to the black-haired boy who frowned at him. His dark hair was short and spikey, and his lavender eyes were always intense and focused for someone so young. His eyes secretly made Chiho happy; they were the only two living Yamanaka with that shade of purple. The color of his mom's eyes. Almost all of his family shared the light blue hue, but not Mukade. When he was born and first opened his eyes, Chiho remembered having to leave the room.

The tiny girl in Mukade's arms laughed, her own wild and messy black hair stuck to her face. Her eyes were blue like the rest of his family, but hers had a childish brightness that Mukade's lacked. Her clothes and knees were dirty as if she had been outside all day. The boy looked tired and serious, probably exhausted from chasing around his little sister.

“Mama, look!” Semiko shouted, pulling something out of her pocket. It was a huge beetle. Mukade frowned, gently taking it from her tiny hands. “I wanna keep it,” She pouted and reached for the beetle. The shift in weight caused him to fall over, his arm outstretched while Semiko crawled over him towards the bug.

“You know we don't keep bugs in cages.” Sayuri said, trying not to laugh at the scene before her. “Go put it outside and wash up for dinner.” She looked up when she heard the front door open. Inoichi hung up his black uniform jacket near the front door and walked into the kitchen. He wore a thick gray scarf around his neck, like he always did, that concealed most of his face. He glanced at Chiho with his left eye, the right covered by long shaggy bangs, then to Sayuri. “I’d ask you how work was today, but I know I wouldn’t get an answer,” She teased.

“It was uneventful.” He said flatly.

“You say that every day!” Ino groaned.

“What about you, Sayuri? Any interesting new patients?” Inoichi said, changing the subject.

“Well, still the same... and one who needs to be... monitored. Ryohei is staying overnight. I told him he doesn't always have to be the one who stays but he won't hear it,” Sayuri's voice sounded annoyed but her face was gentle and almost smiling. She knew she couldn't hide her emotions around this family, and she never tried. The amount of love she had for her family was never anything she wanted to hide, anyway.

“Uncle... can I talk to you?” Chiho asked, knowing his hesitant demeanor was on display. Inoichi nodded and the two stepped out of the kitchen and into the adjacent tatami room, sliding the wooden door closed behind them. The room was large, as was every room in the Yamanaka household. This one was filled with Mukade and Semiko's toys and books. “Today we found out our teams...” Chiho shifted, unsure how to even ask what he was thinking. Inoichi waited patiently. “My new teammate... Hatake Akurei. I heard another voice in her head. What does that mean?” As soon as the name left his mouth Inoichi sighed.

“I was hoping...” He stopped himself and started over. “I can only tell you what is public knowledge. That she used to train under my boss, and was removed from our team. I've searched for years. I never found a good enough reason to keep her locked up. But if you think something is wrong... I can convince Ibiki to let me use... more aggressive methods.” Inoichi's words frightened Chiho. He only spoke this much when he was nervous, and he never mentioned his work. “To put it simply, what you heard could be explained with dissociation or trauma...or even just a vivid imagination or stunted growth. Some have vivid dreams, if she was asleep... but hearing voices isn't reason enough to have her removed from your team.”

“No, that isn't what I was implying...” Chiho was shocked that his uncle's first suggestion was something so rash. He could feel that Inoichi was apprehensive when discussing her. Chiho felt immediate guilt and couldn't explain why. He had judged harshly what he didn't understand, but now watching someone else do it was making him uncomfortable and reconsider his stance. “She isn't that bad. Just... weird. Sorry to worry you.” Inoichi nodded.

“It was unfortunate what happened to her. Ibiki was ready to forgive, but he isn't an impartial judge. I'm glad to see I'm not the only one who senses something is wrong. I will keep an eye on her.” Inoichi said, ending the conversation. Chiho stayed briefly in the empty room after Inoichi had returned to the kitchen, wondering if he should have said anything at all. No, he was definitely in the right. So why did he feel so bad?


	13. Training

Chiho wasn’t late, but when he got there both Jin and Akurei were already there. He was surprised to see a Hatake on time.

“No, Jin. Stop throwing it around, it’s hard to catch,” Akurei was perched directly above Jin in a tree. They were facing another tree, using it as a target. There were a few indents in it, and some decapitated branches nearby. “Just hold onto it, you don’t have to release it.” Jin was concentrating, but he hadn’t managed to learn any chakra control yet, even in his two extra years at the academy. He groaned. “Use your byakugan!” Chiho could almost hear her eyes rolling. He stifled a laugh. What had he been so worried about? Another wave of guilt briefly hit him when he thought how he put Akurei on his uncle's radar. If nothing was wrong, she'd have nothing to worry about.

Jin activated his byakugan, watching their chakra. Akurei’s was looming above him like deep blue spider legs, waiting to strike. It was a bit intimidating to be at the center of it. Chiho watched as Jin's demeanor turned anxious and his chakra became even more unstable. He wanted to work with his new team, but he couldn't hide his fear from Chiho. Akurei either didn't notice or didn't care.

Jin tried to reel in his apprehension and turned his focus to his own chakra. He could see it, a white whirlwind with no shape and no direction. He was pushing it outward, but it gusted out like a million useless vortexes. He felt an odd mix of fear for his tiny teammate and disappointment in himself.

One of the jagged legs suddenly shot towards him. Jin struggled not to jump as it latched onto a piece of his chakra and launched it at the tree. It was amazing watching his own chakra go from unpredictable to a controlled dart. But the part of Akurei’s chakra that had touched his dissipated when it was launched. Jin almost hadn’t noticed, it was such a small amount. So she had to throw away a small piece of chakra each time. His chakra was so unstable that it was a danger to Akurei. Jin grimaced internally.

Jin tried his best, but his wind just gusted feverishly. No matter what he did, he couldn’t hold on to it. Akurei had once infiltrated her brother’s chakra, but they shared the same element. She could deal with fire. She couldn’t use earth. She had never tried to enter the chakra system of a wind user before, though. Could she maybe help him to contain his power? Neither of her elements seemed like a good match; the wind would probably just cause chaos with her own chakra too. Even Inabi’s fire would probably just be blown away, or cause even more destruction if the wind amplified it. Or just cause destruction if Inabi felt like being difficult. But she had never tried to control wind before.

“Don’t panic, Jin.” She said. A few of the jagged legs whipped themselves into needles, positioning around Jin’s tenketsu. Jin kept pushing his chakra out steadily. Three needles shoved their way into his chakra simultaneously. Jin jumped, the jolt of electricity startling him. Akurei’s eyes were closed in concentration. Jin could feel a small current, making his limbs feel a little numb, but didn’t fight it. He tried to stay calm and let Akurei try whatever she was attempting to do. She was his teammate, after all. He was glad how eager she was to help him already.

A little more electricity pumped into his system. The tingling numbness was getting worse, but he tried to ignore it. He could feel his flow, feel the pathways and veins he had always been able to see. But he had never felt it so intensely, every inch of it. He was accidentally pushing some of the lightning out with his wind, but it didn’t just disappear. There was a strong current, and it all flowed right back in, thin trails of dark blue radiating around him. Nothing was broken or disconnected. It was actually kind of beautiful to watch. It was then he realized that he couldn’t move his legs. His hands, which formed a basic seal in front of his chest, were stuck together. Was Akurei meaning to keep him this still? She had perfectly mapped out his system, but in the attempt had disabled his movement. But he didn’t need to move right now, he needed to focus.

Her lightning was inside his system, but it wasn’t interacting with his wind very well. She was having a difficult time trying to pull it back in after it was released, to integrate it into the flow her electricity was making. It was then he noticed the intensely focused look on Akurei’s face. Her eyes were squeezed shut; she was exerting a lot of effort. Jin hadn’t done anything strenuous at all. How could he help make this easier? He had no idea.

There was a twitch in his thigh. Then his shoulder. The perfect current was starting to get a little jittery, jerky movements replacing the fluid ones of before. She couldn’t keep this much chakra in his system for much longer. Jin tried to pull his chakra inward, shove it into the flow, make it follow the current instead of being released at random. Maybe that would help. Jin didn’t know what he could do. He tried to speak, but realized more of him was paralyzed than he thought. He couldn’t get a sound out. Akurei almost definitely hadn’t meant to do that.

“Good, just pull it back. I have to stop. Brace yourself,” She said through clenched teeth. But Jin couldn’t brace for anything. She quickly pulled her chakra out, trying to gather it all together in one huge bolt. Her chakra gathered into only long jagged tendril near his core, with hundreds spreading out from it. She was going to yank it all out at once. Some would be going against his flow.

It felt like getting struck by lightning. A sharp, hot yet numbing sting in his chest that radiated out to his limbs. The force from his wind rushing in to replace what had left knocked Jin off his feet. He didn’t feel his body hitting the ground, everything was suddenly just sideways. His byakugan was deactivated, and his chakra stopped. His tenketsu felt blocked. He couldn’t move at all, but his muscles twitched involuntarily.

“Sorry! I don’t know why I thought that would be helpful,” Akurei jumped down from the branch, landing at his side. Jin wanted to tell her that he had felt his flow so clearly, but his voice wouldn’t work. He could only lie there on his back, everything numb.

“Akurei, don’t incapacitate your teammates,” Kakashi was earlier than anyone expected. He stepped into the clearing, looking down at the stunned Jin. “You’re brave to let her in like that. Last time I did, we both almost died,” Akurei let out a bemused scoff, cutting her eyes coyly at her brother. Kakashi grinned. It seems she had finally forgiven him for that. Jin coughed, trying to get his vocal cords to work again.

“Worth it,” He said in a husky, strained voice. Even talking was a challenge, but he was slowly regaining feeling in his body. He wouldn't admit it, but he was just glad that she accepted him so quickly. He would have done it again if it helped her in any way.

“I’m glad you’re practicing chakra control. I have a gift for you, Jin. If you like Akurei electrocuting you, you’re going to love this,” Kakashi had a bag slung over his shoulder. He unzipped it, dumping the contents out on the ground next to Jin with a loud metallic clatter. He stayed on his back and waited for the tingling sensation to go away. Next to him on the ground were two metal leg braces and two metal arm braces, each with a slit going down the middle. There were also two new gloves, black material with metal pieces on the knuckles. There was a single hole on each knuckle plate. Kakashi turned to Chiho.

“And you’ll be practicing your healing!” He chuckled, very amused by himself. Everyone watched him blankly. Kakashi picked up one of the leg guards and strapped it to Jin’s right leg. The slit was directly in front of his shin. Jin’s appendages still weren’t moving right just yet, so all he could do was watch as his sensei fiddled with his leg. Kakashi dropped his right leg with a thud and lifted the left, securing the next guard on. He grabbed his arm and did the same, seemingly unconcerned with Jin's inability to protest. The arm guard’s slit was along the side, where he would get hit if he were blocking. Kakashi adjusted each and made sure they were on tight. He was clearly enthusiastic about whatever he had in store for today.

“And you,” he turned to Akurei. “are going to practice your dodging. I hope it’s good, because one hit from Jin might break you,” Akurei’s mouth hung open, her eyes annoyed, but she said nothing.

“Sensei… what are these for...?” Jin croaked out the words as he tried to force himself to sit up. He coughed and that seemed to help a bit.

“They’re made of special chakra-blocking metal. See the slits? You have to focus your chakra through them. Otherwise, you’ll break your own bones. Simple, right?” Kakashi smiled.

“No! Not simple!” Jin exclaimed, looking down at his limbs. “Why would it break my bones?!”

“Because your chakra is too wild. It won’t have anywhere else to go, so it’ll hit you instead.” Kakashi said. Jin was starting to fidget, adjusting and readjusting the guards. “You can use the Hyuuga’s gentle fist technique, but your chakra is so spread out that you’ll never hit a tenketsu. You rely on brute force alone. That won’t always work against every opponent.” Kakashi pulled Jin to his feet, who immediately fell to the ground with a pained shout. He grumbled and slowly pushed himself back up.

Akurei backed away, to the other side of the clearing. Having to dodge Jin’s attacks was a scary thought; Kakashi was right about how he’d break her. Kakashi had fractured her arm with a half-assed kick. A hit from Jin's chakra would make that look like nothing. She was faster than he could ever hope to be, but lacked the stamina to hold him off for long.

“Jin, when you kick focus all your chakra through the slit. And your punches through the four knuckle holes. Imagine your chakra going straight out, thin like a blade. If you can do that, no one will be able to block a hit from you!” Kakashi said, walking to the edge of the clearing near Chiho. He looked at Chiho through the corner of his eye. “Get ready to heal.”

Jin rushed at Akurei. His limbs still felt a little numb but his coordination wasn't any worse than normal. The shin slits were bigger than the gloves and arm slits, maybe easier to get chakra through. He’d start with a side kick. He was next to her in a second, leg pulled back. A fairly predictable move, but he didn’t really want to hurt her anyway. He swung, releasing the chakra at the end of his kick like he always did.

Something made a wet crunching sound. There was a scream and Jin was on the ground. Chiho was already on his way over.

Jin couldn’t move his leg. Everything below the knee was a mangled mess, bent in an unnatural way. Jin howled, trying to reach for his leg, sit up and hold it, bring it towards his chest where he could protect it, but moving anything was excruciating. Chiho pushed gently on his shoulder to get him to lie down.

“Just think… if you could control your chakra, you could do this to someone else,” Kakashi said whimsically through the screams. Chiho was already healing, but cringing. He had healed a lot of broken bones, but this one was one of the worst he’d seen. It wasn’t a clean break, and jagged bits jutted into the muscle of his leg. The skin wasn’t broken, but Chiho could feel everything through his chakra. Was this the normal amount of chakra Jin released with every kick? When it was confined, the damage it could do was incredible. “Also… I thought it was obvious but use your byakugan next time.”

Chiho continued to heal, Jin wincing but managing to stop his yells. He was trying to heal quickly, but broken bones were difficult. They had to be put back in the right place, and sometimes required manual reassembly. Moving the bone gently while it was broken and loose and potentially puncturing muscle was unpleasant for all parties involved. And to fuse a bone back together required a lot of chakra. Chiho figured he was going to be using an obscene amount of chakra today.

At least healing a broken bone he could take his time, whereas an open wound could bleed out and required a speedier approach. Chiho felt bad for all the unnecessary pain he was causing by making bad calculations or moving the bone too much. He cursed himself, expecting better. After a few more minutes, the bone was fused back to normal. As least if Chiho had set a bone incorrectly, he knew he could always re-break it and fix it later. He hoped that wouldn’t be necessary. That would be embarrassing.

Chiho just had to fix the muscle tissue around the healed bone. Jin let out a long breath, not realizing he had been holding it and breathing in small, pained sips. Jin sat up, looking at his sensei.

“That hurt.” He scratched his head and frowned, glancing down at his right leg. It was straight now, the pain a dull pulse.

“That’s because you did it wrong.” Kakashi smiled. “But let’s try your hands now. That might be easier. Hold your right hand up in a fist,” Jin hesitantly obliged, bringing his fist up. He activated his byakugan this time. “Gather your chakra at your hand. Good. Now slowly release it out, through the holes,” Jin did as he was told. He could feel the chakra under the metal guard covering his knuckles, trying to push through it but unable. His own chakra was being shoved back towards his skin. Where the four holes were, he could see a small amount of chakra being released. It looked like four small claws reaching out. “Now just stop releasing chakra anywhere but the holes, and push out!” Kakashi said.

“Why didn’t you just have him start this way?!” Akurei asked incredulously. No one answered her question.

Jin focused and shoved his chakra at the holes. Four white chakra claws shot straight up. There was a crunching sound as Jin roared once again, the claws disappearing. His fist released awkwardly, his fingers pressed down and bent. They looked dislocated, hanging there, not connected to anything. He pulled his arm to his chest, yelling. Chiho grabbed his wrist and started putting his chakra into Jin’s hand. Broken hands were the worst, there were so many small bones. And so many of Jin’s were broken.

“It’s easier to heal a broken leg. Isn’t it, Chiho?” Kakashi said, finally answering his sister’s question. Chiho nodded, deep in concentration. He had to focus hard on all the tiny bone fragments, recalling his study of hand anatomy. This would definitely put his healing skills to the test. “Jin, do that again after Chiho heals you. And again after he heals you a second time. Akurei. We’ll have a quick practice while they do that. Since Jin isn’t ready to face you, I’ll be your opponent.” Kakashi said, his revealed eye staring her down. His chakra pattern changed from calm to aggressive in an instant. Akurei tried not to show how intimidated she was. He had been untouchable in their practice yesterday. She was certain his attacks would be just as fast. Was she?

“Try not to get hit for… three minutes.” Kakashi said. In an instant he had appeared in front of her, but she was expecting it. Akurei disappeared with a crack as she snapped her chakra in front of her and down, jumping above and into the trees. She flew in a zig-zag pattern, ricocheting off trees as chunks of bark rained to the ground. Kakashi lifted up his forehead protector, wanting to see exactly how Akurei was using her chakra for propulsion. He was not disappointed.

Most ninja used their chakra for a boost when jumping, but not quite like this. Akurei’s chakra wasn’t even gathered at her feet. She was using her jagged tendrils like whips, some close to her body and propelling her forward like a spring while other long and feeling for him. Kakashi did not extinguish his chakra, so she knew where he was. It was just a matter of if she could be quick enough.

Using her chakra this way gave her amazing precision of her movements, he noted. She was not restricted to her own body’s momentum, having to wait until contact to redirect it. Her chakra could change her direction before she ever landed. But it came at a price. She couldn’t keep this up for long. Kakashi wondered what her limit was.

He threw kunai after kunai to where he thought she might zap to, but she managed to dodge each one. What she had failed to see was that Kakashi was directing her movements with the placement of each kunai. And each kunai had a tag attached. She hadn’t realized the trap until they each exploded, blocking off the path she was trying to take and taking her down to the ground.

Kakashi hopped down across from her as the smoke cleared. She coughed and pushed herself up quickly, her chakra lashing angrily. She was unsure if that had counted as getting hit, and was waiting for him to attack or give a sign that she had lost. But then she sprung, trying to get the jump on him. She would make this drill continue and maybe catch him off-guard. She readied kunai in each hand, reaching back.

_Stop._

Her eyes locked with his sharingan and a blinding pain seared the backs of her eyes. For a second everything was dark. She dropped her knees, the kunai falling to the ground, her hands flying up to her face. She could feel her own sharingan activating, despite never having asked Inabi. The voice she heard hadn’t been his, either.

Kakashi watched as his sister’s chakra changed from dark blue to red, starting at the core and following each tendril to the end. It lashed even stronger now, the tendrils growing in size and shape. She looked up, her eyes blood red and expression contorted in pure rage. Kakashi hardly recognized her.

“How did you do that?!” She yelled at him. It had been a while since the sharingan had hurt, and it had never activated itself like that before. Had it? That wasn’t Inabi, she knew it wasn’t. The voice had been a distant echo in her mind, not the voice that talked in her ears when it was bored. And why would Inabi want her to stop? He only encouraged fights.

Kakashi looked confused. Whatever had happened, it was over. And Akurei had the sharingan, without having to talk to Inabi. She grabbed the two kunai and chucked them. Kakashi blocked them with his own with a metallic clang. Then she felt it. Inabi’s fire. The path was open, she could feel his fire swelling up.

“Akurei, you already lost,” Kakashi said. But Inabi had just started. He felt frenzied. He wanted to fight something, anything. She could feel his need for destruction. He felt oddly pleased, even excited. He wanted to hurt someone, to kill. And so did she. She usually could differentiate between their emotions, but now they were bleeding together.

She struck at Kakashi with her chakra. He was barely able to dodge. She was trying to latch onto his chakra, overload his system. Her chakra reserve had skyrocketed. She could do it, and win.

“Akurei, the drill is over. Calm down,” Kakashi knew something wasn’t right. She was radiating need, a bloodlust. Whatever had happened, he had triggered it. But he hadn’t done anything. She struck out again and again, a rapid fire of bolts aimed at him as she screamed. She almost sounded like she was laughing, her eyes wide and terrifying. He didn’t understand what had happened to make her act so crazy. She chased him through the trees as her chakra struck the space around him, hitting so rapidly it sounded almost like rain. He thought about attacking her but hesitated. He hadn’t seen her like this, even when they were fighting as kids she had never been this out of control.

Not only her chakra was erratic, but so was she. She moved more like an animal, using all fours as she darted from tree to tree as she hunted him. Was she mad at him? His worry was clouding his judgement and making it impossible for him to feel ok about hurting her. He continued to dodge as he tried to find an opening to incapacitate her, but found none. If he was going to stop her, he was going to have to hurt her.

Her chakara bolts that struck like lightning suddenly created an explosion of fire on impact, causing his dodges to barely be sufficient. He felt a searing heat on his arm, his last dodge not fast enough for the explosion that followed the strike. For the first time her two elements were resonating. It would have been amazing to watch, he would have even been proud, if she hadn’t been in such a troubling state.

Kakashi could only continue to dodge. The barrage of explosions followed him through the trees like missiles. He had to think of a way to take her out where she couldn’t infiltrate his chakra, and also not hurting her too much. He could possibly copy her attacks. Maybe a stronger version of her own. But too much fire and they’d burn down the entire forest.

_Akurei, calm down, it’s ok._

Akurei stopped mid-attack and fell to the ground, landing on her feet. Another voice that wasn’t Inabi. It sounded like Chiho. She looked around but didn’t see him.

_Let the fire go, you don’t need it right now._

His voice was strangely comforting. The heat was dying down, being replaced with the feeling of cool water. She didn’t try to pull the fire back out; fighting alongside Inabi was exhausting. Why was she even doing that? How had his emotions affected her so much? She watched her own chakra fade back to dark blue, the crimson being pushed out to the ends of her chakra arms until it disappeared. She felt much better.

Kakashi jumped down beside her, pulling down his forehead protector to cover his sharingan. He put his hands on her shoulders and looked into her gray eyes.

“Akurei, are you ok?” He asked with genuine concern. She looked up at him.

“Yeah… sorry.” She shook her head. Everything she had just felt was completely gone. Kakashi was dumbfounded. What the hell had he just witnessed? She seemed perfectly fine now. “Where is Chiho? I just heard him,” She looked around the clearing but she already knew where he was. He and Jin were still together where they had left them. He wasn’t anywhere near her. So how had she heard him so clearly? Kakashi smiled.

“So he’s healing two teammates at once, impressive. Let’s go back.” He started back where they had come from, keeping an eye on Akurei in case she snapped again. But her chakra was normal, even calm. She looked as if she didn’t even remember how angry she had just been moments ago. Akurei followed her brother back to her teammates. She felt more at ease than she had in a long, long time.

Chiho was in the middle of healing Jin’s left hand this time. Jin was struggling not to make a sound, but the pain was evident on his face. Akurei approached them and sat down next to Chiho. He looked a little surprised, but tried to focus on Jin.

“That was you.” She said.

“Yes.” Chiho closed his eyes in concentration.

“You’re a good multi-tasker,” Kakashi grinned. He hadn’t failed to notice how absolutely haggard Chiho looked. His hair was sticking to his face where it was wet, beads of sweat dripping down his temples. His chakra was running low. Kakashi knew most of the Yamanaka had learned telepathy, but he was still impressed by how effective it had been in calming down Akurei. He must not have been proficient yet, for it to take so much out of him. But his ability to both heal and communicate telepathically at the same time was incredible. “Akurei, help Jin take off his braces. I think we all need a break.”

Akurei sat down on the ground and silently obeyed his command, unfastening the straps on Jin’s leg guard. Her face was serene, so calm it was unsettling. He felt a little guilty for whatever he had done to trigger Akurei’s horrible reaction. Was it his sharingan? His heart sank into his stomach when he thought about the magnitude of trauma that clan must have caused for her. She would need to get used to seeing it again, and even wielding it. She obviously had no control over her own abilities. Had she been trying to repress it until now? He knew he couldn’t allow that.

Kakashi sighed. He was glad to have Chiho on his team. He thought about Inoichi and how he had been meeting so frequently with her for so long. Even someone of his caliber had trouble helping Akurei. But Chiho had just stopped her in the middle of something like an aggressive panic attack almost instantly. He was very thankful to Ibiki for suggesting putting a Yamanaka in this team. That man was much more intelligent than Kakashi knew.


	14. The Hawk's Message

Akurei sat in the darkness, her back against the thick red bars. The heat coming from behind her wasn’t hostile; in fact it seemed rather domesticated. Very unlike Inabi. He sat on the other side of the bars, his back to hers. He had been calm all day, ever since Chiho has spoken to them.

“Inabi… what happened today? How did Kakashi pull out your power like that? I hadn’t come here,” She said. She wasn’t sure what had happened, but she wanted answers. Now was probably the best time to get them, while he was strangely content.

“I don’t know. But it was the most free I’ve felt in years.” He said. Akurei thought back to their training. For the first time their chakra had resonated perfectly, but the things she felt were horrible. She had lived his rage as if it were her own, used his chakra as if it came from herself. He may have felt free, but she had almost felt lost. She had drowned in his power, but it had felt good. Akurei was conflicted, and a bit scared. She wondered how much of her own emotions Inabi could feel. For a while they sat in silence.

“I want to talk to your friend again.” He said, his chakra flickering.

“He's not my friend. And that's a horrible idea, what if that makes it easier for Inoichi to find you?” Akurei asked, her head flooding with possibilities of things that could go wrong. “And they’re family. What if he tells Inoichi?”

“Fuck Inoichi.” Inabi’s chakra whipped through the bars as his annoyance rose. “He won’t find me.”

“How can you be so sure?” Akurei's anger was rising alongside Inabi's.

“Because every time he enters, I watch him fail.” He said. Akurei couldn’t see his face, but she knew he had smirked wickedly. The fact that he was conscious during the mind probes worried Akurei. She hadn’t known that. What else was he hiding? “I can only be found if I want to be. And don’t worry, I don’t want to be found by someone who would turn us into experiments. I’m angry, not stupid.” His chakra was flicking like a cat’s tail again.

“Are you still angry at me?” Akurei asked hesitantly. Inabi’s chakra didn’t change. It still felt amused, yet comfortable. Akurei had never felt Inabi so at ease. She hoped he stayed this way.

“No,” He said, giving off an aura of boredom. “If you give me Chiho,” He added, that evil smile flashing.

“I can’t give you a person,” Akurei frowned. Inabi winced.

“Why not? Itachi gave you _me_.” He growled. Akurei felt the familiar pang of guilt.

“Why do you want him so badly?” She said softly, trying to change the subject.

“You don’t see it? He’s special.” Inabi’s grin widened, his chakra flickering again. Something had him extremely pleased today. Akurei couldn’t help but get more and more interested. “Call him here.” He demanded. Akurei scoffed.

“How? I didn’t call him the last time, he just invited himself.” She said. There was a long silence. But they had shared a mind for so long now that silences were no longer awkward, just as normal as breathing. Inabi was still remarkably calm, she noted. They hadn't even fought since Chiho had helped them calm down. Whatever he had done, it had left an impression on her unwilling companion. She was going to enjoy that for as long as it lasted. But still she worried, despite her fear being disrupted with stillness. Chiho should never learn about Inabi. But Inabi might decide to make himself known, she thought. “Just don’t do anything reckless… We don’t know him.” She felt Inabi’s reluctant compliance as he nodded.

Kakashi’s team had been training for only a few weeks before they had been given a mission. Not much had changed yet. Chiho was getting proficient at healing broken bones, Jin still couldn’t control his chakra, and Akurei hadn’t had another episode of her chakra going haywire. A D-rank mission would be a good way to have them start practicing teamwork, Kakashi thought. Jin had been instructed to leave his chakra guards at home today, a change he was grateful for. His students stood before him, waiting.

“This team was put together for tracking, so that’s what our first mission is. It’s simple; a messenger hawk-in-training failed to return. These birds are valuable, and a lot of time and effort goes into training them. We ninja rely on them for imperative information while on missions. We are to track down the missing one, find out if it is injured or dead. He had some fake documents on him, so even if he was eaten we should still be able to find those.” His students listened patiently while he explained. Jin was the only one who looked excited. “We’ll depart from Konoha’s east entrance, as the bird’s route was in that direction. Questions?” Jin raised his hand.

“What color is the bird?” He asked without waiting to be called on.

“It’s a hawk, Jin. It’s hawk-colored.” Akurei said bluntly. Jin pouted.

“Where was the bird’s destination?” Chiho spoke up.

“Good question. It was sent to locate a team of ninja to the north. The hawks are trained to find specific chakra patterns on the battle field. The team was on the move, so that’s why we need you three. You’re the best team for scouting large areas.” Kakashi said. Chiho nodded. “Alright, let’s go.”

The team jumped through the trees until they reached a small clearing. Kakashi had shown them a map of the area the bird was expected to have been flying through. They were almost there.

“Jin, why aren’t you using your byakugan?” Chiho snapped. Jin mimicked him silently as he activated it. Kakashi had said he’d let them do the mission without his help, and was determined to merely watch.

“Do you remember what a hawk looks like?” Akurei teased. Jin stuck out his tongue at her.

“Akurei, your chakra can reach a lot farther than mine. Look for-“ Chiho was cut off.

“A dead bird? Not so sure I can pick up a reading on that,” She said.

“That’s alright, I guess we don’t need two sensory types.” Chiho said condescendingly, pleased by her subtle reaction. “I’ll feel for any kind of panic or fear.”

“What? You can do that?” Akurei would have been annoyed at his comment if she hadn’t been surprised. “In animals? Not even chakra, just…”

“Can you not? I thought you were a sensory type too,” He said haughtily. Akurei glared at him. Their first day of training, he had possessed a squirrel. He clearly had a lot more experience with animals than she did. Akurei never even thought twice about animals. They were inconsequential. But now she was beginning to question that.

The four stood in silence for a while. Jin frowned in concentration as he looked as far as he could for any signs of a bird. Chiho had his eyes closed, his breathing steady. Akurei reached out with her chakra, but realized she had no idea what a chakra system of any animal felt like. Did animals even have chakra? They had to, they were alive. So did they have elemental affinity like humans? Akurei was at a total loss.

“Akurei, you keep guard while Jin and I scan.” Chiho said calmly as he sat down on the ground, leaning against a tree. He opened his eyes, looking into the branches above them. Akurei followed his line of sight. There was a bird’s nest, well-hidden. She didn’t know if it was empty or not, but there was no sound coming from it. When Akurei looked back at her teammate he was slumped over, his arms limp at his sides.

A small bird popped out of the nest, ruffling its feathers. It looked at Akurei with lavender eyes and chirped a tune before fluttering off. Jin smiled, watching the bird in amazement.

_Focus, Jin._

Chiho’s calm voice filled his teammate’s heads. Jin jumped. He wasn’t used to having a voice in his head so it always startled him when Chiho used telepathy. Inabi perked up when he heard it. Akurei scowled and gave him a silent warning not to do anything.

Now that she had Chiho’s body to protect and a role in their mission, Akurei took her own scanning more seriously. The only way anyone could get past her was by completely extinguishing their own chakra. No one was hunting them, but she had to always be prepared.

Kakashi stood off to the side, reading his book. There was no one else around them for miles. At least, no humans. Akurei had never tried to sense how many animals were nearby. It didn’t matter to her. But it mattered to someone who could take advantage of their mobility.

As Jin checked the ground for clues, Chiho scanned the air. There were a few birds above the tree line, most of them scavengers circling lazily, not needing to flap their wings much at all. Chiho flew closer. They seemed to be circling something. He didn’t want to get too close to the buzzards. Most of them looked like the type to eat only carrion, but he didn’t want to risk it. Instead he lined up his sight, getting ready to project out again. If he missed from this far away, it would take a while before he got back to his body. He took aim, and left the small bird.

Luckily the lazy drifting of the vulture made it an easy target. Chiho needed to use these eyes, they were much better for long distances. He looked down, trying to find what this bird had been so interested in. It took a while of searching, but he saw it. There was a deer. It wasn’t dead yet, but close. It was being followed by some foxes, careful not to get too close and get kicked. The deer would die soon from blood loss; all the foxes had to do was be patient. The vultures would wait their turn and eat what the foxes left. Such is life.

Chiho turned his attention elsewhere. He didn’t want to feel the life drain from the deer. He tried to search for anything else, losing hope that their hawk would still be alive if it were wounded. He flew deeper into the zone shown on the map. He had a lot of area to cover.

“See anything, Jin?” An increasingly bored Akurei asked. She could feel Chiho getting further and further away. Soon she wouldn’t be able to keep tabs on him. She hoped Jin’s byakugan could still see him.

“Lots of trees,” He frowned. So Jin wasn’t accustomed to searching for animals, either.

“Pick up Chiho, we should probably follow him. He’s the only one of us who has a chance of finding a dead bird.” Akurei commanded. Jin hoisted Chiho onto his back without complaint. Chiho’s arms dangled limply over Jin’s shoulders. He looked smaller than normal on the back of their large teammate.

Akurei led, followed by Jin. Kakashi tailed behind, reading while walking. They didn’t need to rush, for Chiho could easily circle back faster than they could catch up. She just didn’t want too great of a distance between them. Akurei thought it was the least they could do while Chiho did all the work.

_I found the hawk. It’s still alive, somehow. But barely. I think I can grab it and bring it back._

The three stopped walking. Akurei wanted to ask if they should keep moving, but so far the transmissions only worked one-way.

“Jin, can you see him? Keep an eye on him.” Akurei said. Jin nodded, his light blue pupil-less eyes staring ahead.

Chiho circled a few times, deciding how he’d get such a hulking yet fragile frame down through the thick trees. He couldn’t see the hawk anymore, for it seemed to have pulled itself under some cover, but he could feel its fear. It knew it would die soon. It must have been badly injured, too.

Chiho descended gracefully, until he reached the tree line. His large wingspan snapped smaller branches and knocked leaves down. He struggled to find places with enough room for him, and more than once beat up his own wings on larger branches. He landed on a branch, positioning himself to jump down to the next one while he used his wings to slow down the momentum. How did these birds do it?

With only a few feet left to go he slipped up, banging his wing a little too hard and crashing to the ground in a mess of broken twigs and leaves. He looked over to the terrified hawk. Its red messenger bag was still attached to its back, but the feathers around it were disheveled and many snapped or bent. Its wing was horribly broken, some of it missing. There was a gash from some kind of claw on its face. It was missing a lot of feathers, revealing wounds covered in dirt. One eye was closed, the other barely able to open. It was breathing heavy, quick breaths, but unable to crawl or fly away.

Chiho felt a pang of sadness that the bird would most likely not make it. It probably thought this bird was going to eat it, not try to save it. Chiho felt bad for the terror he was about to cause to the dying hawk. He stood up, ruffling his feathers and folding his wings back awkwardly. He gawkily hopped over to the injured bird and tried to project his calming aura around it. He couldn’t heal it well in this form. He probably couldn’t even keep it from dying, but he could at least try to make it so the bird didn’t kill itself panicking.

It seemed to work, the hawk’s breathing slowed. It put its head down on the ground, too tired to keep facing the large vulture before it. Chiho approached slowly, and used one of his large claws to nudge the hawk onto its side. He needed its wings folded up to grab it right. It would hurt if he did it wrong. But one of his wings wouldn’t fold, it was too broken. The damage was probably irreparable; the bird most likely would never fly again. Without hands to position the bone correctly, he didn’t know how well he could even try to heal it now. And he wasn’t very knowledgeable about bird anatomy, so the likelihood of healing it incorrectly was large.

As gently as his large and uncoordinated talons would allow, Chiho opened the broken, gnarled wing and tried to position it straight out. The bird’s breathing was slowing to a stop. Its body was eerily still. Chiho didn’t have to check to know there was no pulse. He felt another pang of grief for the poor thing. If only they had found it sooner…

Chiho didn’t need to be gentle anymore. He pulled the bird’s wing next to its body, putting his talons around the entire bird. As he grasped it he felt the tiny bones in its wing crunch. He half expected the bird to flinch. But of course it didn’t.

Chiho hadn’t thought about getting back above the tree line. It was hard enough coming down. How was he supposed to get enough momentum from his wings if he couldn’t fully spread them out? He paused, thinking. Maybe he didn’t need to fly.

He had felt the creature before he heard it. A rustle in the shrubs nearby. He took aim. He’d have to be ready to switch when he saw it, or else it could run off with the hawk. Luckily, the animal thought he was injured and jumped right out. A reddish brown fox. He projected immediately.

Chiho felt a little guilty for putting the vulture in such a precarious position. The fox lunged and snatched the hawk away. He ripped the messenger bag off the hawk and ran away as quickly as he could. At least the vulture should get a reward for its trouble. He hoped the vulture wasn’t too disoriented, and managed to grab his dinner before trying to get back to the sky.

Chiho dashed towards his teammate, the red bag in his mouth. His stomach growled. He had denied the fox a meal. Ignoring the thought, he raced through the trees and shrubs as quickly as he could. He had gone pretty far, and it would take longer to return on the ground. And this animal was a little wilder than a bird. Canines were harder for Chiho to control and took a bit more effort.

He continued to focus on running, hoping the physical exhaustion would make the fox more pliable to his will. Chiho was also getting tired, but mentally. Switching creatures three times in a row was taking a toll on his chakra reserves. The distance wasn’t helping.

The fox burst through the bushes in front of his teammates. He dropped the bag, feeling himself losing his grip on his current host. He saw himself on Jin’s back, and let the fox push him out.

“I thought you said the hawk was alive?” Akurei asked. The fox darted away. Jin felt Chiho stir and lowered his feet to the ground. He wasn’t expecting Chiho to be unable to hold himself up. He immediately fell to the ground, landing roughly on his back. He lie there limply and tried to catch his breath.

“Sorry!” Jin blurted out, getting down on the ground with his teammate. He tried to help him up but Chiho waved him off. He wasn’t ready to stand yet.

“It died… But I brought the bag.” Chiho said as he readjusted to being back in his own body. After being in tiny animals with rapid heartbeats, it could be a bit jarring at times. Jin reached over and picked up the bag, pulling it open. He stuck his hang inside and pulled out a rolled up piece of paper. Kakashi eyed him.

“You know that was a bird in training, right? It’s not a real note.” Kakashi said, closing his book. Jin ignored him and unrolled it. Akurei watched him with a look of pure amusement. After a few seconds, Jin furrowed his brows in concentration. His eyes moved back and forth across the paper.

“You know how to read, Jin? I’m impressed.” Akurei teased. Jin ignored her. Kakashi took a half-step towards him, a look of concern on his face.

“That note should be blank, Jin,” Kakashi said. He could see the black letters faintly from the back side of the note. He snatched it from Jin and put it in his pocket.

“Sensei… Who is Orochimaru?” Jin looked at Kakashi. Chiho could feel how tense Kakashi had just become.

“Like I said, Jin, the note isn’t real. Maybe the bird master was playing a joke. We should report back.” Kakashi began walking back towards the city. Jin helped an unsteady Chiho up to his feet. Akurei shot a glance at Chiho. She felt something was off, too. The three followed their sensei wordlessly.

Under the main gates to the village, Kakashi turned to his three subordinates.

“I’ll wrap this one up. Chiho, good job today. The three of you are dismissed. I’ll give you the day off tomorrow,” Kakashi said, the bored expression back on his face. He turned and began to walk in the direction of the Hokage’s headquarters. In a blink he had disappeared.

“Shouldn’t we be reporting back together?” Jin cocked his head to the side.

“We should be.” Akurei replied. “Jin, what did the note say exactly?”

“It was written fast, I think. It said someone named Orochimaru had been seen near Konoha, that he had attacked and killed a scouting team.”

“Someone didn’t want that message getting out,” Akurei pondered, staring up at the sky.

“What do you mean? It was a training bird. The note wasn’t real.” Jin was reaching maximum levels of confusion.

“Go wait somewhere for me,” Chiho ordered as he stalked away with purpose. Akurei glared at his back with silent resentment. Somewhere in the back of her mind Inabi's chakra flickered slightly with amusement.


	15. Deception

Chiho needed to find a bird. He had exhausted himself using his mind switch technique three times today already, but he had enough chakra left for another. But he couldn’t just leave his body on the street. He jumped up to the rooftops, heading towards his home. He had an idea.

_Ino, I know you’re home, bring me an animal. Then take my body home. Please?_

His family lived close enough to the Hokage’s headquarters. They were an important family, and always held high positions within the city council and various high-ranking outfits. While they didn’t get their own section of town like the Uchiha once had, they owned a massive house near the center of town. As he suspected, Ino was home.

_Ugh, fine. But you owe me one._

His cousin replied. The two of them weren’t close, in fact Ino annoyed him more often than not. She had always been more interested in boys than in her studies. But he knew he could rely on her to understand exactly what he meant, and usually not ask too many questions. Because he’d do the same for her, even if her spying was for the purpose of borderline stalking whatever ninja currently had her attention. The two of them stuck by the ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ unwritten rule of pubescent Yamanaka.

Chiho was close enough to his destination that he wouldn’t risk getting closer without an animal form. Luckily, he didn’t have to wait but a few minutes. A black cat joined him on the roof, with Ino’s light blue eyes. It was easy for all of the Yamanaka to find each other, since they were all sensory-type and used to each other’s chakra signatures. But she had gotten him the cat faster than usual. Maybe she had sensed the urgency in his voice. Chiho readied his technique to completely switch their minds, not only take control of a target. It took slightly more focus.

The cat blinked, its eyes now lavender. Chiho looked up at his body and fought the urge to roll his eyes. Ino was standing tall, her chest pushed out like she normally stood. Without breasts it looked almost comical. She looked down at the cat with her blue eyes.

“You’re welcome, Chiho. Sheesh,” Ino said from Chiho’s body, flicking back his hair with her hand.

_Just take my body home, don’t do anything weird._

The cat jumped to the next rooftop without a sound. He wondered why she didn’t just bring a bird. That would have simplified things. But he wasn’t going to complain. A cat would suffice, and the stealth would be just as good as an innocuous bird. And a cat’s hearing was much better. Maybe she had thought ahead for once, or could sense he wasn’t playing around. He’d have to remember to ask her how she had such easy access to a cat, however.

_Because I’m training them. You can have this one, if you warn me before you want your body back. Ok bye!_

Chiho tried not to think about what she had just said. He’d have to deal with the repercussions of her actions later. He just hoped she didn’t embarrass him. He was on the roof of the Hokage’s headquarters now and needed to focus. He smelled tobacco, and knew the Hokage was in his office. He walked on weightless paws to the ledge above the window and sat down. Kakashi was already inside.

“…thought that might be the case,” Kakashi said in a low voice. “When did the training hawk return?”

“Not long after your team was dispatched.” The Hokage spoke. He paused, taking a puff of his pipe. The smell of tobacco was stronger in Chiho’s nose as smoke blew out the window. “This note is…disturbing. But it’s fortunate you found it, Kakashi, all because of a separate messenger hawk with no sense of direction.” Another pause as the Hokage smoked again. The message must have him pretty stressed. “I am sending out all available teams of ANBU to search the immediate area around Konoha, and have them in constant rotation. All ninja already in the field are hereby recalled. We have a few training teams on D-rank missions. Locate them and escort them back.” There were at least four voices in the room that responded to the Hokage’s commands. They must have been ANBU, for Chiho hadn’t even sensed their chakra. But he felt the wind rush past as they exited through the open window beneath him. “Kakashi, let the other teachers know to not allow their students to leave Konoha. You are dismissed.”

Chiho got up and dashed from the window, hopping to the roof of the building next door. He didn’t want anyone to catch him, and he had already heard what he needed to. He strode briskly, but not out of character for a cat, towards where he had left his teammates, keeping to the rooftops.

Something snatched him by the scruff of the neck and lifted him up off the ground. Before he could react, his sensei’s face was all he could see. His blood ran cold, but he didn’t struggle. He hung there guiltily, trying to come up with an excuse as to why he would be spying on the leader of the entire village.

“Don’t worry, Chiho. If I didn’t want you to hear anything, you wouldn’t have.” Kakashi smiled through his mask, which only made Chiho more uneasy. “It is thanks to you, after all, that we even found that message in the first place.” Chiho calmed down when he realized Kakashi didn’t seem to be angry in the least. Kakashi put the cat back on its feet. “I trust you can tell your teammates what you heard. Might want to hurry, though. Your cousin is an interesting girl.” 

Akurei and Jin had left the main streets and gone to a more secluded area. The shops were mostly izakaya and bars, so they weren’t yet open and it was quiet enough. Jin had found a bench and was lounging, Akurei standing next to the edge of the bench where Jin’s head was, staring up at the clear sky. 

Akurei could sense that Chiho was concerned about that message. She had wanted to follow, to watch what he would do, but figured she’d only get in his way. His use of animals was fascinating to her. So she decided to corral Jin away from the crowd and wait for him to return. Jin didn’t seem to mind following her.

Chiho appeared from around the corner of a building. Akurei watched him as he sauntered towards them, oddly satisfied, totally different than when he had left. She raised an eyebrow. His chakra was slightly different. Chiho’s usually calm water was swirling excitedly, something Akurei had never felt from him before.

“So what did you find out,” Akurei asked, unable to hide her interest in his sudden change of character. Jin lifted his head to watch their teammate. Even someone as unobservant as Jin must be able to sense the difference, Akurei thought.

“Hi, Jin!” Chiho said, totally ignoring Akurei’s question. He strolled to the end of the bench where Jin’s legs hung off. Suddenly Chiho sat down on Jin’s lap, letting himself fall and not being gentle at all.

“Ow! What gives?!” Jin said, trying to sit up and push Chiho off his lap. Chiho shoved him back so he was lying down again. Akurei watched, her mouth hung open. She didn’t intervene. It was too amusing. She felt Inabi perk up, watching through her eyes.

_Who is that? Does Chiho have a prisoner too?_

Akurei scoffed inwardly. Inabi wasn’t a prisoner, she wanted to tell him, but a part of her saw the truth of his statement. But he was right. This obviously wasn't Chiho.

“Relax, Jin,” Chiho said arrogantly. “Why are you so tense?” Chiho was smiling, more pleased than Akurei had ever seen him. Her jaw dropped even wider as Chiho positioned himself on top, Jin between his legs. He lowered himself onto Jin and rocked his hips slightly against his pelvis. Inabi’s chakra flared up excitedly, with a tinge of jealousy and irritation. Jin was absolutely flustered and confused. He tried again to push Chiho off of him, but stopped when Chiho grabbed his wrists. Akurei could sense Chiho using some kind of jutsu, similar to when he had used his chakra nature to calm her down when Inabi was loose. Jin stopped struggling, but still looked confused.

Chiho leaned closely over Jin’s face, pinning his wrists over his head, his hips still rocking gently. Akurei couldn’t help but notice how gorgeous Chiho was when he wanted to be. His long blonde hair flowed down over his shoulders like a golden curtain. His sharp, narrow jawline that led to a slender neck craned over Jin. Even his lips were full and feminine. His big, light blue eyes stared directly into Jin’s. But Chiho’s eyes were purple. Akurei rolled her eyes. She knew whose eyes those were. Chiho’s cousin, Ino.

Akurei could feel Jin’s panic underneath whatever jutsu Ino was using. She knew what it felt like to be out of control and sighed inwardly. Ino was being kind of a jerk. Funny how bold she could be when in someone else’s body. Akurei was about to intervene when she heard a voice.

_Ino, that’s enough. I told you to take my body home._

Akurei looked around. It was Chiho’s voice. Inabi got even more excited. Akurei had to push him back down. A black cat with stunning lavender eyes strode towards the bench, flicking its tail madly. The jutsu Ino had been using broke, and Jin shoved Chiho’s body off roughly. Ino fell to the ground, but stood up quickly, a little nervous.

“I was only playing,” Ino said from Chiho’s body, pouting. She stood up tall, her chest pushed out and one hip out to the side. Akurei couldn’t not think about how Chiho looked more like a woman right now than Akurei could ever hope to. She couldn’t look away. Neither could Jin.

Jin stood up, worried she might try to mount him again. He towered over both his teammates and the angry cat, but didn’t speak. He was still a bit rattled.

“More like assaulting,” Akurei snapped back. Chiho stuck out his tongue at her.

“Alright, I’ll go. It was fun, Jin,” Chiho winked and disappeared. The street was eerily quiet now.

“Chiho… shouldn’t you have taken your body back?” Akurei asked.

_No… When I switch back I’ll probably pass out. She’ll take my body home this time._

“Being in there doesn’t tire you?” Akurei was very curious about his abilities now. She realized she should probably know as much as she could, considering Ino was proficient in similar techniques. She didn’t anticipate having to keep track of two Yamanaka.

_I thought it would, but Ino has been training this cat. It doesn’t seem to mind my presence at all. She gave it to me in exchange for… Harassing Jin, apparently. Sorry about that._

Jin shrugged it off, but the two sensory-types could feel he was a bit distressed, and something else. Jin being this silent was unusual. Chiho felt a little guilty for what he had enabled. He would have to talk to Ino about what is acceptable social behavior. For now he decided to change the subject to more pressing matters.

_The note wasn’t fake. I heard Kakashi talking to the Hokage. The training bird returned already; we found a real messenger hawk. Everyone has to stay in Konoha while the ANBU search for this Orochimaru._

Chiho left out the part about getting caught. His teammates didn’t need to know that part. Jin smiled at the cat.

“So we delivered important information!” He perked up at putting the pieces together. “And it’s because you can talk to animals!” The cat squinted so hard its eyes closed, its cat lips pressing together into a tight line.

_I don’t talk to… whatever. And we did it as a team. I wouldn’t have thought to check the blank piece of paper inside. All we needed was the bag as proof that the bird died. But checking the note was your idea._

Jin was beaming. He seemed to be fine now that he was distracted with praise. Chiho felt a little more calm himself. Part of the reason he didn’t ask Ino to switch right now was that Jin might need a bit of a break from seeing his face. That, and it was oddly effortless to stay in this particular animal. Ino had done a good job training it to be calm while possessed. It almost felt like it was asleep. Chiho would have to try that with some of his own animals, he thought to himself.

“Now what?” Akurei asked. “We can’t go on missions. Can we still train? Jin, want to break some bones?” Akurei grinned.

_I don’t have the chakra to heal him right now, maybe that’s not a good idea._

The cat rumbled a soft growl, glaring at Akurei. If Jin got that idea in his head right now, Chiho couldn’t stop him nor heal him. He hoped Jin wasn’t that dumb. He was improving, but not so much that he wouldn’t require a lot of healing.

“I’m kidding. We’ll do it tomorrow, after Chiho has a chance to recover.” Akurei was being shockingly sensible, and didn’t even tease Jin much. It had been a weird day.

“Yeah. Tomorrow. I’m going to go... do... something.” Jin said. He didn’t even seem concerned coming up with an excuse for whatever he had planned. Chiho wondered if he should follow him as Jin walked away without another word.

“He’ll be fine, Chiho.” Akurei said. She could sense his concern. It was getting weird how much they understood without words. “I don’t think anyone has ever... flirted with Jin.” Akurei smiled and shook her head. Despite how funny it had been, even she thought Ino went way too far. “You should go rest. I’ll see you tomorrow.” Akurei turned and headed down the narrow streets towards her house on the edge of town.

Akurei thought she should have a chat with Inabi about controlling his chakra. She shouldn’t have to work so hard to keep it repressed when he got excited or angry. She knew Chiho was proficient enough that he could probably sense it all, and probably thought it was Akurei’s emotions he was feeling. It would be mortifying if he could sense the weird animalistic urges that sometimes flickered through her mind thanks to Inabi.

She walked passed the thinning houses and apartments, the grass and nature becoming thicker than the buildings. As she did so she managed to calm herself down. The lack of chakra around her meant she didn’t have so many distractions. She could go behind her house and meditate for a while.

As Akurei approached her house, she sensed intimidating chakra. Someone was waiting for her. Someone she hadn’t even spoken to in years.

“Sasuke?” She said, shocked. She had no idea why he would even be here. They hadn’t crossed paths since the Uchiha section of town was dismantled, and worked hard to ignore each other at the academy. Neither of them particularly wanted a reminder of their brother, or of that night. Or so Akurei had thought.

“Akurei.” Sasuke said. His chakra was menacing and angry, something he wasn’t trying to hide. His voice had gotten a lot deeper since they last spoke. His dark hair concealed his facial features that now looked strikingly similar to Itachi’s, blank and unreadable. But beneath it was pure hate. “We need to talk.” He stated.

“About what...?” Akurei knew her trepidation was evident to him. She was caught off-guard and more than a little confused. Her heart was racing and she didn’t know why.

“You know what.” He stated. His chakra was calm on the surface, he was trying to project confidence. But underneath it was a swirling mess of anger. “You might have everyone else fooled. But I know your sharingan isn’t an implant. And there’s only one way that could be possible.” Sasuke’s voice was deep and forceful. “So tell me. How much contact do you still have with Itachi?” His chakra was flaring up with intensity she had only felt from Inabi. In return, she felt Inabi’s fire rising defensively. He did not like Sasuke. He reminded him too much of the man who murdered him.

“Sasuke. Don't be an idiot! I haven’t seen Itachi since the day he killed everyone and tortured us both.” Akurei could feel Inabi’s anger infiltrating, becoming her own.

“You know something you haven’t told anyone. I don’t know how Inoichi hasn’t found it. But I will. You’re going to help me find Itachi.” He said with ferocity Akurei had never heard from him. Inabi’s rage was flowing freely now, her fingers were trembling as she tried to keep him under control. “If you cooperate, maybe I'll let you live.”

Inabi slipped free. But he wasn’t. He was still behind the red gates, but his chakra was rushing through the bars faster than Akurei could suppress. He wanted to kill Sasuke. She tried to reason with him, this isn’t Itachi. But he was beyond reason.

Akurei lunged at Sasuke, readying a blood red Chidori faster than she ever had in her life. But Sasuke was ready. He charged back with a dark blue one of his own. Their lighting crashed together, bolts of red and blue firing off in all directions. Akurei directed all of it away from her, but it was nearly impossible to control the explosive energy radiating from the two Uchiha.

The sound of birds filled her ears, sharp chirps and the sound of raw power slicing through the air. The red bolts left smoldering grass and burned trees in their wake, the blue one breaking everything clear in half, leaving an equal amount of destruction.

Sasuke invoked his sharingan. The second Akurei’s gaze met his a blinding pain filled her eyes. Everything turned white, she could feel Inabi’s fire chakra enveloping her. It felt both horrible and good at the same time. His rage, his grief became her own. But so did his insanely powerful chakra. It resonated perfectly with her lighting for the second time in her life.

_Stop._

The echo of a voice, the same one as when she was practicing with Kakashi. Suddenly Akurei’s Chidori dissipated. Neither she nor Inabi had done that. Akurei fell to her knees, her vision blurry and her head filled with too many thoughts, too many voices that made no sense. She couldn’t understand a single word, it was like being lost in a crowd. They seemed to be telling her what to do, a million deep voices, some whispering, some speaking loudly with purpose.

Akurei wanted to ask Inabi what he had done when something hit her collarbone hard. She felt a sharp crack and something slam against her back. She hit a tree and crumpled, her chest, her shoulders searing with pain. She looked up at Sasuke with the red eyes of the sharingan. His figure was blurry, looming over her. She couldn’t help but think of how much he truly did look like Itachi.

_Sasuke. Back off._

Chiho’s voice resonated in her head, shutting out all the others. She felt his calming water enter her system, and Inabi’s fire receding. The black cat pounced down from a tree branch and stood between them. Sasuke chuckled.

“Is that you, Chiho? No matter. I’ve made my point. See you soon, Akurei. Think about what I said.” Sasuke said. He turned and calmly walked away. Akurei struggled to get full breaths of air, fighting the urge to hyperventilate.

_Akurei, are you ok?_

The cat turned to her, its purple eyes filled with concern and alarm. Akurei couldn’t speak. It was taking all her focus to just breathe steadily. She felt more of Chiho’s chakra enter her system, helping her calm herself.

_I don’t have a lot of chakra left, but your collarbone looks bad. Lie still._

Akurei couldn’t disobey if she wanted to. She lied still as the black cat did its best to heal her with its tiny paws. It placed them lightly on the bone. Even a tiny amount of pressure hurt. Akurei winced.

Chiho did his best, but the cat lacked the dexterity of a human hand. He couldn’t reposition the bone manually. It was a clean break, but would be hard to maneuver with only cat paws. If he had enough chakra he could maybe brute force it, but he was running dangerously low. Despite his million questions about what had just happened, he needed to heal her first.

“Use... mine...” Akurei said through clenched teeth. She could feel how depleted Chiho’s chakra was. Inabi was still radiating fire, although it was less out of control now thanks to Chiho. But still the fire was flowing from the gate, she couldn’t stop it. Akurei directed his chakra towards Chiho’s system, trying to focus as much as she could through the pain. Chiho flinched as he felt the hot fire enter, but it cooled almost instantly upon making contact with his water, mixing flawlessly. The rage he felt from it calmed down. Chiho was amazed at how well the two chakra combined, and felt a surge in his own strength. After merging the water and the fire, he pushed it down his arms and into Akurei’s chest. She kept feeding him more, creating a continuous cycle for him. If she hadn’t, he probably wouldn’t have been able to heal the bone break at all.

_Hold still, I have to move the bone a little. It’s going to hurt…_

Chiho warned but did it quickly, trying hard not to drag it out longer than necessary. He pushed down on the side where the bone jutted out awkwardly, immediately shoving chakra in to fuse it as Akurei winced. Her eyes squeezed shut and filled with tears. The pain caused her to lose her focus, the fire chakra flaring up and flicking rapidly. Chiho’s own chakra was getting agitated, matching the fire. But there was something else. Despite Akurei being in unbearable pain, the fire was getting more and more excited.

Akurei was no longer controlling Inabi’s fire, yet it continued to pour freely towards Chiho. She thought the pain might cause her to black out. It was taking all her focus just to remember to breathe.

_Hello again, Chiho._

Chiho heard a deep, playful voice in his head. The red, flickering chakra was enveloping his small cat body. It was overwhelming his senses. The voice was teasing, yet had an undeniable air of anger, frustration, and madness. But he recognized it. He had heard this voice before, when he had possessed Akurei on their first day. It seemed even more pleased this time, and despite him not being in Akurei’s body it somehow felt even closer than it had been before. It sent chills up Chiho’s spine. He was so connected to the chakra, there was no way he could get away if something went wrong.

_What’s wrong, Chiho? Don’t you trust me?_

The voice laughed menacingly in his ear. It was pleased, stalking, touching him. He could feel the excitement of the fire all around him. He had to work harder to focus, to keep healing, to keep his chakra calm. He tried to push back with his water, to extinguish the distracting flames around him. It seemed to work. The pestering, overpowering chakra calmed slowly, until it was just a content purr. Chiho sighed in relief. What was going on with that voice? It sounded hostile, but he didn't exactly feel afraid of it.

After a few more minutes, Akurei’s breathing was returning to normal. He had somehow managed to fuse the bone back together. Her temples were wet with sweat and tears, causing her silver hair to stick to her face. She still hadn’t opened her eyes. Chiho pushed the last bit of his water that he could muster into Akurei, trying to keep the fire at bay. It receded, the cocky voice gone now. Akurei’s own chakra system was taking back over.

“Thank you… Chiho.” Akurei said, her voice barely a strained whisper. The black cat flopped over, lying across Akurei’s chest. He didn’t mean to, but he couldn’t have moved if he wanted to. The two lie on the ground for a while, neither saying another word.

Jin walked briskly down the street. He wasn’t heading for his home at the Hyuuga compound. He wasn’t quite sure where he was going. All he knew was his heart was beating too fast.

He turned some corners aimlessly, restlessly. He didn’t know what he was feeling. It was bizarre, uncomfortable even, but he couldn’t stop thinking about Chiho. He didn’t think he liked men. So why had he gotten so excited when Chiho was on top of him? Maybe he did like men. But Chiho didn’t look very much like a man when Ino was possessing him. It was all very confusing.

Jin found his way back to the more populous areas of Konoha, and let himself get lost in the crowd. He could see over most of the heads, and examined each one closely. He didn’t know what he was looking for. Why was he here? He had adrenaline, and didn’t know what to do with it. He continued through the sea of people. A blonde caught his eye, but when she turned around he didn’t recognize her face. He pressed on, not sure if he was truly looking for Chiho.

A few more blocks and Jin found himself close to the Yamanaka compound. He hadn’t meant to come here. But then he saw her. She must have just dropped off Chiho’s body. She left a large house, turned onto the street, and entered the crowd.

Jin recognized her from the academy, but they had never actually spoken before. She was always flirting with other people, so he never paid attention. Jin was just the unintelligent failure of the academy. Not only Ino, but hardly anyone used to speak to him. He saw her purple outfit, the high collar, her stomach showing, the fishnet. He couldn’t help but follow. At least now he was pretty sure that he did in fact like women.

Ino was walking alone. Jin could see her above all the heads, and followed from a distance. He had no idea what he wanted from her, or what he would even say. He questioned again what he was even doing here. He followed her as she turned more streets, and the crowds thinned. She turned down a narrow alley between two shops. Jin turned but she was gone. There was another alley. He picked up the pace, worried he’d lost her. When he turned the corner she was blocking his path, staring with a look of annoyance, her arms crossed.

“What are you doing?” Ino demanded. The way she stood, even when angry, caused Jin to forget everything. His mind went totally blank as he stared at her whole body. Her long legs, the way she stuck her hip out as she shifted her weight to the other side, the way her arms were crossed just beneath her breasts. Suddenly she flashed a mischievous grin. “Were you looking for Chiho?” She teased. Jin pouted.

“No! I… um…” Jin shifted, uneasy. He didn’t know why but he was sweating now. “I was… looking… for you.” Ino looked surprised.

“You know you shouldn’t follow a woman, right? That’s called stalking. I could have you arrested.” She said condescendingly, a glint of arrogance in her pale blue eyes. Jin stared, mesmerized. A curtain of platinum blonde hair hid half of her face, but those eyes were fierce and piercing.

“I… I didn’t! But…But you…” Jin stuttered. Why was speaking so hard? He didn’t mean to stalk her. The things she had done seemed much worse in comparison, but he couldn’t find the words to make any sort of logical argument. Ino just smirked.

“Aw, Jin, what’s wrong? Did I get you all bothered with your friend’s body?” Ino laughed. Jin furrowed his brows, aware of his face getting red. Ino looked him up and down. He wasn’t unattractive. Quite the opposite. He lacked the elegance of a Hyuuga, that was obvious, but had his own weird eye-catching qualities, Ino thought. His height was the obvious one, but his insane strength was one most people overlooked. She had seen him spar in the academy, but never paid him any more mind. He wasn’t very bright. But now that he stood mere feet away and she was taking a much closer look, he was much more extraordinary. His features were strikingly masculine, but then again he was two years older than their graduating class. “And don’t think I didn’t feel that, earlier,” Ino giggled, her eyes drifting down. “Not bad, Jin.”

Jin was beyond flustered. He couldn’t get his voice to work. He tried, but the sound got caught in his throat. Ino was enjoying every second of his frustration. She took a step towards him. Jin wanted to take a step back, but couldn’t, his legs didn’t want to move. He was frozen. Ino reached out, gently stroking his chest, her fingertips slowly dragging down his abdomen. Jin got chills, but felt hot at the same time, his gut tightening in a way he had never felt before. His breath caught in his chest.

“Jin, you’re so innocent,” She teased. Her fingers traced back up his stomach to his chest, then up his neck. Jin thought his heart might explode it was beating so fast. Ino stroked under his chin, then folding her arms once more under her breasts. She smiled wickedly. “See you later,” She winked and disappeared in a puff of smoke, leaving Jin alone in the alley. He let out the breath he was holding. He stood there for a few more seconds before his brain turned back on. He looked around, confused and rattled. His thoughts were racing as fast as his heart. It took a while before Jin could make himself leave the alley. He began to walk home, knowing he wouldn’t be getting any sleep tonight.


	16. The Interrogator

Chiho vaguely remembered walking through streets illuminated by lamps. Some shops and bars had lights on, faint music and murmurs of people, the sound of dishes and glasses clinking. But most of the streets were empty as he strode silently on the ground.

He woke up inside. It was dim in the room he recognized as his own. The sun was just starting to rise. He heard a soft purring and noticed the black cat lying down on his chest, its tail flicking contentedly and half-closed yellow eyes watched him. Chiho didn’t remember leaving Akurei. Did the cat take him home?

Akurei. He hoped he didn’t leave her outside. He didn’t remember anything but fragments once he had passed out. He had no idea how the cat got him home, but was impressed that it did. As irritated as he was with Ino, he would have to be sure to thank her for giving him such a well-trained cat. But first he needed to make sure Akurei wasn’t lying on the ground outside all night, possibly attacked by Sasuke again. What was that all about?

He got up too fast and had to sit down from the sudden lightheadedness. He hadn’t recovered much of his chakra from last night. The cat sat down next to him, still purring softly. It rubbed its face against his arm as Chiho waited for the dizziness to pass. He reached a hand down and scratched the cat behind its ear. The cat purred even louder.

Chiho stood and went to his bedroom door, down the stairs and outside as quietly as he could. He could sense his family still sleeping as he shut the front door slowly. The back cat darted out when it was still cracked, determined to follow him. As he briskly walked back to Akurei’s house, the cat kept an even pace right next to him. Chiho would have been more fascinated by the cat if he wasn’t so worried about having left Akurei. Sasuke had attacked her, he had been waiting for her to come home. What if he came back?

The walk felt longer than it should have been. By the time Chiho arrived the sun had completely come up. He did a quick search around the house. She wasn’t outside. There was some damage from her battle with Sasuke, the trees were filled with holes and missing branches, but nothing major. Chiho approached the door and tried to turn the knob. She had locked it, that was good. He took a step back and checked thee windows. Most were slightly open, but not big enough for him to get inside. The black cat meowed, looking up at him with its golden eyes. Chiho sighed. He’d just have to leave his body on her doorstep. Making sure she was ok was more important.

He sat down, leaning against the door. The cat jumped up into his lap and stared. He transferred his consciousness easily, hardly wasting any chakra. His body went limp against the door. The cat ducked down and sprung gracefully onto the ledge of the window near the door, squeezed in, and dropped soundlessly to the floor. He glanced back at the front door. There was no way he could reach the doorknob to unlock it, even if he jumped.

Chiho strode into the living room first, but quickly had to jump out of the way as Akurei stormed past him. She glared down at him, clenching her teeth in anger. She was a disheveled mess, trying to tie her forehead protector around her head to keep her long white hair back and somewhat tame.

“What are you doing in my house?!” She shouted. The cat jumped.

_I came to make sure you're ok._

Chiho followed closely at her heels as she paced around the room, gathering her things. He felt a sudden panic in response to her unpredictable mood.

“It's _your_ fault I have to go back for another evaluation! I thought I was done with those!” She growled, not watching her step. The cat nimbly dodged her feet as it tried futilely to slow her down.

_What are you talking about?_

“You told him something, didn't you?” She stopped walking and stared at the cat with pure rage. He felt hostility from both of her chakra elements. At least she was getting better at mixing them. “He summoned me back to see him today, I woke up to his voice in my head! Fuck you, Chiho! Why did I even consider believing you?” She strode angrily to the front door and opened it. Chiho's limp body slouched over and fell into the doorway. Akurei let out a frustrated groan and stepped on his chest as she walked over him, leaving her front door wide open. Chiho projected back into his own body and jumped up, chasing after her.

“Wait, Akurei!” He shouted, but she flipped him off over her shoulder and disappeared.

Akurei sat in the familiar office of Inoichi. He didn't sit behind his desk, he never did that. He sat entirely too close to her chair. She always was allowed the one comfortable chair in the room, for when she was here she spent most of the time unconscious. He sat across from her in a plain chair. Today he was even closer than usual. It was making Akurei uncomfortable.

Inoichi held a black notebook in his hand, the same one he wrote in once a month for years. Akurei wondered what she'd find in there. It couldn't be too bad or she'd be locked up in the basement somewhere. Ibiki had never once taken notes when they had met, but it had been almost two years since she saw him. Inoichi had taken over her case completely, something that annoyed her very much.

Her eyes wandered up to his face. His hair wasn't quite as light as Chiho's, it had a slightly more golden hue. He had it pulled back in a long ponytail, and his bangs covered his right eye. The shape of his face was different, too; he had a much more square and masculine jawline in comparison to Chiho's narrow one. Akurei felt Inabi's mind wandering to him and her anger rose. Inabi got the hint to remain focused.

“Why am I here? Did you miss me already?” Akurei said flatly, staring daggers at Inoichi's face, her arms crossed tightly against her body and slouching in the chair. She was furious but also scared. Inabi was pacing angrily, staying silent but watching their interaction with ire.

“I just wanted to check on you, see how you're adjusting to your new team,” Inoichi stated. He was not an excitable man, but today felt different. Akurei could feel his lie. He was hiding something. She could feel Inabi's fire leaking from the cage, his urges to attack the man, to hurt him and see him bleed. She tried to reel in the hostility. No, she could harness that.

“Worried that your nephew is on a team with me?” Akurei smirked wickedly. Inoichi looked surprised but quickly regained his composure. She felt Inabi chuckle. He was pleased and kept prodding her to push the interrogator's buttons. She didn't need the encouragement.

“That is irrelevant to this discussion. I need to know that you are mentally capable of-”

“Worried you missed something before?” Akurei sat up straight in the chair, leaning slightly closer to him. “And that Chiho is going to be the one who suffers for it?” She laughed, not even sure why. She was so sick of coming here. He had no reason to force these meetings yet he did year after year. “I'm just... _so_ glad to be paired with someone so close to my favorite person... So I can show just how much I appreciate you poking around in my mind for so long.” She could see his light blue chakra around him, filling the room. Water and air. It was almost vibrating with anger. Out of the corners of her eyes she saw her own blood-red chakra whipping madly. She hadn't even realized Inabi had given her the sharingan.

The black notebook dropped to the ground, the pen rolling across the floor. Before Akurei could taunt him any more she felt a pain in her chest, the air suddenly cold. In an instant all of Inabi's fire was snuffed out and it felt as if the air around her was stagnant and empty. Akurei tried to gasp for breath but nothing happened. It felt like someone was choking her, but Inoichi hadn't moved. Her arms flew up to her throat, but there was nothing there.

In a few seconds the only thing she could feel was pure panic. No matter how hard she tried to inhale, her lungs wouldn't move. The edges of her vision were turning white and she was losing feeling in her limbs. She tried to look at Inoichi but he was becoming a blur; she couldn't even speak to beg for him to stop doing whatever he was doing. There was a thud and she hit the floor, writhing and clawing at her neck. Her mouth gaped open in a futile attempt to get air, and hardly any sound escaped her lips. Her chest felt like it was being stabbed with knives over and over.

She didn't know how long she was on the floor, she didn't even know if she was still awake. She felt like she was floating, weightless, and all of the panic was slowly fading into unwanted apathy. Her limbs were tingling and numb and she stopped moving. She saw the wooden floor close to her face but nothing beyond it. But she knew there was more in the room, more directly in front of her. Inoichi's feet, she tried to focus on his feet. The darkness that was shrouding her vision concealed anything more than a few inches in front of her eyes, and was slowly closing in.

She couldn't see anything, couldn't hear through the ringing and intense pressure in her ears. Suddenly the numb feeling began to recede. She took a ragged, deep inhale and slowly her vision came back. A few more desperate gasps and she could hear again. She heard a deep voice that sounded like it was under water. From her spot on the floor she could see two pairs of feet; Inoichi's as he left the room and two huge familiar boots approaching where she lie on the floor.

She felt a sudden huge wave of dizziness, not immediately realizing that someone was pulling her to her feet. Her head hung down limply and her vision went dark again as she coughed. She had no idea what her limbs were doing but they certainly weren't functional. When she opened her eyes she was on the floor again, puking. She saw it for only a moment before everything went completely black.

Akurei opened her eyes slowly, feeling woozy. She was on her back and staring up at a stone ceiling. This wasn't Inoichi's office. She blinked a few times and felt something on her face. She groaned and reached a shaky hand up, feeling an oxygen mask strapped to her head. As she weakly tried to pull it off a hand grabbed hers and put her arm back at her side.

“You wanted to see me so badly that you pissed off Inoichi? I knew you had a crush on me.” A deep voice spoke next to her, but it sounded far away. She turned her head slightly and saw a blurry, hulking figure wearing a long black jacket. She wanted to say something but the pain in her chest was crushing and her thoughts weren't yet making sense. She blinked a few more times, still confused. “Hypoxia. You'll be fine. Inoichi will be... reprimanded.” Ibiki said sternly. Akurei squeezed her eyes shut and opened them again, but the room just went even more out of focus. “Those fucking Yamanaka sure are an emotional bunch.” He muttered under his breath with a chuckle.

“Where...?” Akurei's voice was a raspy groan. Ibiki was slowly coming into focus, but the shroud of confusion was lingering. She felt a pinch in her arm and saw Ibiki remove an IV line.

“Just give it a few more minutes.” Ibiki said. Finally she was able to see his face. He looked down at her with an evil grin. Akurei remembered suffocating on the floor and her thoughts quickly returned. She glared up at him crossly, but her eyes lacked the intensity she felt.

“My knight in shining armor,” Akurei muttered, her voice muffled by the oxygen mask. Ibiki let out a bellowing laugh and pulled the mask off her face, scooping her up into his arms and squeezing her into a bear hug. She gasped from the sudden movement and fought a wave of nausea. She closed her eyes and leaned her face against his chest, her feet dangling high off the ground. She sighed and felt strangely content against him. Even Inabi was calm. Or maybe he just hadn't woken up yet.

“You're still an unimaginable brat. Good.” He set her back down onto the table and held her head, helping her lie back down without falling over. Akurei was surprised at how gentle he was being with her, but chose not to comment for fear that he'd be rough out of spite. Ibiki grabbed her thin wrist one more time and lifted it up in the air. She felt immense satisfaction from him as he examined the old scars. Her arm looked comically small in his large hand. “Are they feeding you at the academy?” He laughed. Akurei scowled.

“No, they starve me. Are you going to rescue me again?” Akurei asked, half serious.

“Nope. You're doing just fine on your own.” He said.

“Have you been watching me, sensei?” Akurei feigned shock. “And you say I'm the one with the crush,” Akurei said snarkily. Ibiki laughed.

“God you're fucking annoying, you know that? No one else dares to talk to me like that,” He looked down at her with an oddly pleased expression. “If you were still my student, you'd regret that dearly.”

“Good to know I have immunity now.” Akurei sat back up, finally feeling relatively normal. “Can I go?” Before she could hop down from the table, Ibiki picked her up again. “I can walk just fine,” She snapped at him with annoyance. Ibiki dropped her roughly to the ground where she stumbled. She turned to walk for the door and tripped, but Ibiki grabbed her around the waist and slung her over his shoulder.

“Sure you can. But I'll just save you the embarrassment of proving me right and take you home.” Ibiki chuckled. Akurei let out a slightly frustrated grunt but was secretly thankful that he still seemed to care so much. Her legs felt tired, all of her muscles felt tired. She hadn't realized what a struggle walking was until she stood and nothing seemed to work right. Still over his shoulder, Akurei could see the room. He had taken her to one of the interrogation rooms for some reason. Ibiki walked to the metal door and opened it.

“Can you at least not carry me like this?!” She said, hitting him on the back playfully. In the hallway she felt a presence. Ibiki was suddenly irate, his chakra menacing and meant to intimidate.

“I could have you fired and arrested for using torture techniques against a civilian.” His voice was a deep and sinister growl. She froze, aware that her ass was in the air and facing his companion. “Youre lucky it’s just Akurei.” He added with a smirk.

“Sir. It won't happen again.” She heard Inoichi's voice, full of fear and regret.

“Don't move. I'll deal with you when I get back.” Ibiki commanded. As he turned the corner he pulled Akurei down into his arms, keeping Inoichi just out of her view. She felt a strange sense of satisfaction. She missed the days when he was teaching her, even if it meant he could turn his anger on her in a split second. She was a little jealous of Inoichi, despite knowing that he was probably not going to like Ibiki's punishment. She wondered if he punished everyone he worked with or if she had just been special. She hoped Inoichi was special, too.

Chiho waited in the city outskirts, near Akurei's house but not close enough to draw suspicion or notice. He had to talk to her when she came back. If she came back. The guilt he felt was overwhelming.

Why had he told his uncle anything? They were supposed to be teammates now and he had already broken her trust. He could have figured things out on his own; he didn't need Inoichi to be watching her carefully. And for what? Because he heard a voice in her head that obviously liked him? If she was crazy, he definitely wanted her to be on his side. Now he would probably have to sleep with one eye open on long missions. He should have waited until he had it figured out before he said anything to anyone. He was furious at himself.

He was sitting on a bench in one of the more secluded streets, the black cat purring next to him. He wasn't paying attention to anything around him, all of his focus was on the space between Akurei's house and the center of town. He was keeping an eye out for any signs of her chakra in the city, but found none. It had disappeared shortly after she left, but where he couldn't be sure. His range was surely better than that, he thought crossly.

He had never been inside the Torture and Interrogation Force's headquarters. Not many people had, and Inoichi never spoke of it. Perhaps they had some kind of chakra-blocking defense? That had to be it. Anything was better than the possibility of Akurei disappearing because of him.

But then he finally sensed her. A wave of relief washed over him. Her chakra wasn't very strong, but she was heading home. Someone was with her, someone with an insane amount of power that was nearly drowning hers out just be being near her. Earth. He had never formally met the man, but he knew of only one person with chakra like that. The leader of the Torture and Interrogation Force, Morino Ibiki. Why was he going home with her? Had something happened?

Chiho waited, pacing nervously. The cat followed him with its eyes, then yawned. There was no way he was going to confront that man. Ibiki’s chakra was truly terrifying, even when he wasn't doing anything. Minutes passed like hours while Chiho worried. Finally he felt the torturer leaving and Akurei staying at her house. Chiho sighed. So she wasn't in trouble, at least. He pet the cat, wondering how well it could follow orders. He tried to fill its head with images of home. The cat stood, stretched, and hopped away. He quickly headed back to Akurei.

As he approached her house, he felt that she wasn't inside. He cursed under his breath and followed her trail out behind the house, but she was far into the forest. What was she doing? As he followed, his concern rose.

“Akurei...?” Chiho said softly when he found her lying on the ground. She was on her back, her eyes closed. When she heard his voice she clenched her teeth and let out an annoyed groan.

“Can't I get away from your family for five minutes?!” She snarled at him, her angry gray eyes flying open.

“Akurei, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to-”

“Didn't mean to what? Get me attacked for no reason? What, did you tell Inoichi that I'm dangerous?”

“Attacked? What do you mean?” Chiho asked. Akurei's eyes widened slightly and she turned away. He couldn't help it, he could sense she was remembering something unpleasant. He had to know what she meant. She wouldn't notice, not if he just took a peek. He didn't have to concentrate hard, for the memory was fresh and it was consuming her thoughts. He felt her terror as she hit the ground, not knowing what was happening or why she couldn't breathe. He saw the look on his uncle's face, one of pure anger and revenge that he had never seen from him. What kind of jutsu was he using? Chiho knew he was an interrogator, but he had never actually thought about his methods before.

“What the fuck, Chiho?!” Akurei jumped to her feet and wobbled a bit. “Stop that! Why the hell would you think that is ok?!” Chiho didn't have time to feel bad about invading her privacy, all he could think about was how his uncle had hurt his teammate. And for what? Inoichi didn't have proof of anything. But it was Chiho who had sent her there. His concentration broke as Akurei took a swing at him. It was surprisingly easy to dodge.

“I'm sorry, I had to know. I'll talk to my uncle...”

“That isn't the point! Why do you keep doing things like that? Is this just how you Yamanaka are? You feel entitled to the private thoughts of everyone?” Akurei's anger was rising rapidly, and what little chakra she had left was sparking to life.

“No, but this is my fault, and I'm going to fix it,” Chiho snapped back at her as he dodged another attack. “I'll keep him away from you in the future.” Akurei's fists became shrouded in electricity that flashed and discharged in every direction. “Stop wasting your chakra,” He said condescendingly. Akurei growled and he felt the fire rise to the surface, bubbling with anger. He frowned. “So you both hate me, then?”

Akurei stopped in her tracks. The lightning dissipated and she stood frozen, her eyes wide and scared. She took a slight step backwards. Chiho sighed. At least she had stopped trying to fight.

“What do you mean by that...?” Akurei asked, her voice quiet.

“Well, I haven't figured it out entirely. It could be a dissociative disorder... but my uncle would have been able to find that.” Akurei took another step back, as if he would try to grab her any second. “Look, as long as you both can cooperate with me I don't care.”

“You don't mean that. Fuck this, I shouldn’t even be on a team; you all can find someone else. I quit.”

“No. I told you I can help and that’s what I plan to do. Let me talk to him.” Akurei scoffed at his words, but he felt the fire chakra rising again, this time much less angry. It felt interested.

“There is no one to meet!” She shouted.

“I heard him twice now. You can’t hide it from me anymore. Does he come out when you use fire chakra? Is that why you’re so afraid to use it? Because you lose control?”

“You have no idea what you’re talking about!” Akurei continued to yell. Good, he wanted her angry. The fire chakra only seemed to come out when she was distressed.

“Then explain it to me, Akurei!” He said harshly. Akurei yelled in wordless frustration and stormed off towards her house. She suddenly froze after only a few steps. An icy chill ran up her spine but a burst of heat shot through her veins. There was someone standing between them and the city.

A man wearing a dark hood and black clothes stood before them, his face covered by an ANBU mask. How had he gotten so close without either of them noticing? But something was off about him; his mask had blue streaks where it should have been red, and he was alone. The ANBU were patrolling but they always did in groups.

He didn’t give them a second to think. Before Akurei could even move he had bolted at her and punched her hard in the stomach. She crumpled forward, the wind knocked out of her for the second time today. She collapsed on the ground coughing and choking, her vision already threatening to go dark again and her body shaking with fear. The man reached down and grabbed a fistful of her hair, pulling her up to her knees and punched her in the side of the head so hard that she went flying, landing off to the side in a motionless heap.

“Akurei!” Chiho shouted. She was breathing, but unconscious, her chakra gone. “Who are you?! What do you think you’re doing?!” He tried to prevent himself from panicking, but the man’s chakra that filled the clearing was raw, unguarded and vicious.

“That’s none of your concern. Now, run along, girl,” The man said condescendingly, his voice echoing slightly behind the mask. He reached down and picked up Akurei, throwing her limp body over his shoulder.

“ _Put her down!!_ ” Chiho yelled, charging at the man. He had no plan; his taijutsu would definitely not be effective here. But he had to do something. He couldn’t let him take Akurei.

The man’s free hand began to glow with chakra. Light blue, and water. The same as Chiho’s. The man’s hand was stretched flat, his fingers close together, chakra extended out like a blade. He wasn’t going to use his water for healing.

Chiho barely dodged a swipe of the man’s hand, his chakra grazing Chiho’s skin and cutting easily through the fabric of his shirt. He was so fast Chiho almost didn’t move in time, and there would have been a gash in his chest instead of ripped clothing. Even with only one free hand, the man struck again and again like a snake, his other hand holding Akurei’s torso against his shoulder. Her limbs flopped down uselessly, her white hair flowing down past the man’s waist as he struck over and over with his bladed chakra.

Chiho was trying not to panic. The man’s one-handed taijutsu was lightyears ahead of Chiho’s, and he wasn’t even weighed down carrying someone. He could only dodge as he tried frantically to formulate some kind of plan, but was coming up with nothing.

A sudden low kick caught Chiho off-guard, sweeping him to the ground. The man knelt over him, elbow pulled back and fingers aimed to stab Chiho clear through the chest. Chiho grabbed his wrist with both hands before the chakra could pierce him, and steered the tip away from his heart. If the chakra could extend any more, at least it wouldn’t be a fatal blow.

But the man swiped outward, slashing Chiho’s forearm down to the bone, almost severing his hand clear off. Chiho screamed, clutching his right arm to his chest. He could feel the blood pulsing, pouring onto his chest, his hand totally useless. He tried to grip it, to hold the gash closed with his left hand, but it was impossible. It wasn’t a gash, it was almost an amputation. It felt like his hand might fall off, his arm was nearly in two pieces. The bone was cut and the only thing keeping his hand attached was a bit of flesh.

The man stood up over Chiho, watching him writhe in pain. Unless someone came now and healed him immediately, he would bleed out in a few minutes. The man was a sensory type too, and knew no one was near. It wasn’t his mission to kill anyone, only to capture Akurei. He turned to leave.

“ _Akurei!!_ ” Chiho screamed, his eyes filled with tears. He couldn’t let her be taken, he couldn’t. It would be entirely his fault. He couldn’t protect her. He didn’t have the strength of Jin, or Akurei’s speed. But he had one thing. He felt with his chakra. Fire. He needed to grab the fire. It didn’t matter what would happen, there was nothing that could possibly make this situation any worse. Whoever Akurei was afraid of in her head needed to come out. He could feel the fire, eager and ready, but it was trapped. It didn’t seem capable of releasing itself. The one thing he had that no one else did; he could see beyond what normal people saw. He even saw more than his uncle somehow. And he knew their attacker was holding a ticking time bomb.

With his eyes squeezed shut and his teeth clenched he tried to focus and ignore the searing pain in his right arm and the alarming amount of blood that had covered his chest and dripped across his neck. He reached with his own chakra towards Akurei, past her lightning. If he could somehow use his mind switch technique on whatever it was that controlled the fire, maybe there was a chance that they’d both live. It was there, wild and agitated beneath the surface. He grabbed it, felt it hook, and pulled it out as hard as he could.

It happened so fast Chiho almost didn’t see it. Akurei jumped to life, striking at the man carrying her with a fist made of fire. The man dropped her in shock, barely dodging. Her feet hit the ground and she lunged, releasing a barrage of white hot fire disguised as punches. Her eyes were the blood red of the sharingan. She made an expression Chiho had never seen on her face before. Her eyes wide and crazed, her lips twisted into a wide grin that showed her teeth. With each barrage of attack she was actually laughing. It wasn’t a normal laugh, it had an edge of madness to it.

Akurei was copying the man’s use of chakra. Her own fists had chakra blades, but she had added the element of fire to hers to make it even more dangerous. Even a miss could lead to burns, as evident by the stranger’s sudden recoil from a blade that got too close to his skin. He clutched his forearm that was now red and blistered, despite her attack having missed.

The man had not once been on the offensive since Akurei woke up. Even now he felt frightened, still trying to recover from being caught off-guard. But Akurei didn’t give him any chances to think of how to stop her attacks. She kept striking and cackling, and all the man could do was try his best not to let the blades get too close.

It didn’t matter how much distance their attacker had put between them, Akurei simply pumped more chakra into her arms and the blades became red-hot, bladed whips, thin enough to be startlingly mobile. Chiho heard the scream before he saw what had happened. While the man was dodging the fire whips from each of her hands she front-flipped and released a third from her leg that struck straight down. That man couldn’t dodge, all he could do was throw his arm up in front of his face. The whip wrapped itself around his forearm and he screamed, the sound and smell of searing flesh filling the clearing. In one fluid motion she kicked behind her, jerking the man towards her. Her right hand was ready and the fire whip swung horizontally at him.

The man managed to jump over it, barely dodging but his dark cloak was singed. He used his free arm to cut the fire whip with his water blade and in a second disappeared. Chiho didn’t think he had passed out, but he must have. The stranger was nowhere to be seen and Akurei looked down at him with blood red eyes. Her smile had vanished. She dropped to her knees by Chiho and grabbed his arm with both her hands, trying to shove the pieces back together.

“You have to heal it, Chiho. Don’t pass out.” She stated bluntly.

“Akurei?” He said softly. Akurei’s red eyes flashed to Chiho’s for a split second, but she said nothing. Chiho could feel fire being forced into his system, replacing his lost chakra.

“Heal, Chiho,” Akurei commanded. Chiho tried to focus but the pain was fading. All he could feel was Akurei’s tight grip on his arm. His vision was getting blurry and unfocused. “ _Chiho,_ ” she barked. A sudden burning pain in his arm snapped his vision back into focus as he yelled out. His wound was scorching, it hurt so much. Chiho smelled burning flesh again. But he didn’t want to look. Akurei was thrusting fire inside his wound, realizing there wasn’t much time before he bled out. Was she trying to cauterize it? Or did it just feel that way because she was unskilled at using fire to heal? “If you don’t, I will.”

Chiho focused as much as he could through the pain. He tried to pull out his water to replace the fire, letting Akurei direct it into his wound. It felt better than burning, but not by much. Chiho had never had to heal such a deep wound on himself before, he couldn’t make it as comforting or soothing as he could for other people. And he couldn’t focus to put the bone, muscle and tendons back together. The best he could do right now was stop the bleeding and hope someone else could fix his hand later. Akurei patiently helped, never once letting go of his arm. If she had, the wound would split open again. Chiho couldn’t both heal himself and hold the pieces of his arm together with one hand.

“Just a little more, Chiho. That’s a good boy,” Akurei’s grin was back, her teeth bared as she stared at Chiho. He relaxed slightly. If she could smile right now, then maybe he wasn’t going to die. Her words would have confused him, but not right now. He didn’t have time to worry about that. Chiho did as he was told and kept trying to heal himself through the throbbing pain and dizziness. He still smelled burning, but at this point he didn’t care. He had to keep healing his arm, to at least seal the wound shut. He still couldn’t move his fingers. Not that he had tried.

It felt like hours had passed to Chiho, each second amplified from the pain. But he didn’t stop. Finally her grip on his arm loosened. The skin stayed shut, but his forearm bent where the break was when he moved. He clenched his teeth again; the sudden movement of the bone stabbing him from the inside coming as a shock. But it didn’t re-open, no more blood came out. Chiho let out a breath. He looked up at Akurei, who looked different now. She was breathing heavily, beads of sweat forming on her forehead. Her red eyes stared at the ground. She was trying to control her own breath.

“Akurei,” Chiho said. “Are you ok?” Akurei smiled down at him.

“You could lose your hand, and you’re worried about her?” She said incredulously. He could feel her fire flickering with amusement.

“I’m sorry, I messed up-” Chiho felt his hands trembling. Akurei still hadn’t let go of his arm. She moved her hands to his and held them gently. “This is my fault-”

“Did you send that man? I knew you didn’t like me.” Akurei muttered jokingly, but her face was serious. “Akurei, take him…” He thought he heard her whisper a second before she lurched forward, barely able to keep herself from falling over. She slowly pushed herself up, blinking a few times. Her light gray eyes darted around a few times as she took in her surroundings. She searched the area, but found no sign of any chakra nearby. She looked down at Chiho.

“That man… Is he gone? What happened?” She blinked at him, genuine fear and confusion on her face.

_Take Chiho to a hospital, now._

Chiho heard the command, too. He didn’t mean to listen. Akurei’s eyes widened in fear when she saw Chiho’s arm, all the blood covering him. His arm had a messy, new thick scar that looked like it would break open at any moment. The skin underneath was swollen and purple, and burned. Akurei reached under Chiho’s arms, not needing to question any more right now. Chiho looked pale and horrible, his clothes saturated by his own blood. She should have realized this sooner. She helped him into a sitting position.

“Can you walk?” She let Chiho lean on her, waiting for his dizzy spell to subside. He had lost too much blood, and he was too big for her to carry right now. Helping him walk was the only way she’d be able to get him to a hospital. But she knew even before she asked that he was not going to be walking anywhere. He tried getting his feet under him and standing, to no avail. His strength gave out and all his weight was on Akurei. She struggled to help him gently back to the ground. “Shit…” She muttered as Chiho slipped in and out of consciousness. The fury in Inabi’s chakra terrified her.

Akurei could only think of one thing to do. Kakashi. His chakra she could easily find, and maybe she could get his attention that way. Inabi nearly forced his chakra into her system, giving her his sharingan and amplifying her range. She could see her lightning tendrils now, and reached across Konoha. She found Kakashi instantly, and thrust her chakra into his system. She tried to make it as obvious as she could, something he couldn’t ignore. She pulsed her lightning into his system as roughly as she could, over and over.

Kakashi felt it. The second her lightning penetrated his system, he knew something was wrong. He could feel her fear through the chakra. She didn’t let up, even when he bolted towards her location. Something had her terrified, desperate. He tried to tell her that he was coming, but the uncomfortable jolts didn’t stop. He picked up the pace, buildings passing him like a blur as he darted across rooftops.

Kakashi skidded to a halt in front of her house. She was dragging a limp Chiho. He was covered in blood. Akurei was trying not to cry, her panic showing. Kakashi grabbed Chiho, lifting him up in his arms. He was pale, his heartbeat weak. Without a word Kakashi grabbed his sister’s arm and pulled her up onto his back, hardly waiting for her to get a secure grip before darting towards the hospital.

“Someone attacked us, I don’t know what happened,” She squeaked through a pinched throat, tears finally streaming down her cheeks as she squeezed Kakashi’s shoulders. Her chakra was an absolute mess, but both of her elements were resonating. Whatever happened must have caused her to need both.

“It’s ok, Akurei. He’s going to be fine.” Kakashi tried to sound comforting but his sister was hyperventilating in his ear. “He won’t die. Calm down, and focus for his sake,” Kakashi said. He had only seen his sister this upset a few times, but this was the first time the cause was worry for someone else. He couldn’t help but feel a little proud. Hopefully she would never have to learn the true value of her teammates through losing them. He shoved that thought down. He would never let that happen.


	17. The Curse

Inabi hadn’t left her alone. She sat in the waiting room next to Kakashi in a trance, staring blankly across the room. She was just thankful that no one but Chiho knew what that meant.

“I was in your tiny body,” Inabi was absolutely ecstatic. Akurei had never seen him this way before. His chakra filled every corner of her mind, whipping through the air, the tendrils that weren’t aimlessly thrashing wrapped around her body. She hung a few feet off the floor, dangling from her arm that was held by one of the blood-red vines. More were tugging at her other limbs and torso annoyingly, playing with her like a cat might with a dying mouse.

“I know, you said that! Put me down,” She yelled. Inabi was gripping the bars of his cage tightly, his eyes fixated on Akurei, manic and hungry. Akurei tried to fight against him but knew it was pointless. He had never gone this far, though. He had never held her captive in her own mind.

“I want to go back out.” He demanded, his face an evil smirk. “If Chiho likes me more than you, he’ll make _you_ the one stuck here.” Inabi cackled. Akurei couldn’t hide her fear; she knew she was helpless in this moment. He slowly brought her closer to the cage. She tried to pull away or kick against the ethereal restraints, but it was pointless. His chakra easily overpowered hers.

Inabi reached his arm out through the bars and grabbed her face. He stared into her gray eyes, knowing all of her thoughts. If not for the seal, he would be the one in charge. They both knew it. He had been a prisoner for so long that he forgot what freedom tasted like, and now he wanted more. He wouldn’t let her control him anymore. He pulled her against the bars roughly and grabbed her wrist, pressing the palm of her hand against his hard cock.

“You are _so_ lucky I’m stuck in here… for now.” Inabi laughed again, reveling in Akurei’s helplessness.

“And what exactly would you do? You don’t even have a body. This isn’t real,” Akurei snapped at him, suddenly furious. She tried to pull away but he held her wrist tightly, sliding her hand up and down, making her rub him through his clothes.

“You should fuck Ibiki,” He said, ignoring her. He was far too excited to let her bring him down from this high.

“I can think of nothing more terrifying,” Akurei said, a disgusted look on her face.

“Exactly…” He laughed. “I know, I’ll bring you to him, and give you your body back once he gets started…”

“Why would you want to do that?! I haven’t done anything to you!” Akurei was upset by how pathetic she sounded right now. She was at his mercy and he knew it. He didn’t know how to release himself yet, but if he ever figured it out her life would be ruined. He was already managing to keep her here tied up in his chakra. She didn’t want to know what else he might be able to do.

“You need to see what it’s like to only be able to do what your master says. I am positive Ibiki could give you that experience,” Inabi’s wide red eyes never blinked as he spoke, his twisted smile never faltering.

“I have never said that! I didn’t do this to you! And I’m not your master, I don’t even want you here!” Akurei felt her panic rising. He was being completely serious. She knew he really would put her in situations she didn’t want just to spite her. They were both victims, but Inabi didn’t see it that way.

“I wonder if he’d want to fuck you in his torture chamber?” He mused, ignoring her again. “He seems like the type that has stamina, too. Maybe keep you there for days,”

“Inabi, stop it!” Akurei screamed, her eyes filling with tears. She fought as hard as she could against his chakra, finally tearing her arm away from his crotch. She felt a spark in her own chakra and her dark blue jagged bolts severed his fire. She fell to the ground, scrambling backwards while he laughed. Before his fire could touch her again she pulled herself out.

“…Rei? Are you ok?” Akurei blinked a few times, adjusting to the bright room full of chairs. She looked towards the voice. Kakashi was next to her, watching her with a concerned expression. Akurei sniffed and realized there were tear running down her cheeks. She wiped her face.

“Yeah. Fine.” Her heart was pounding fast. She took slow breaths to try to calm herself down. Her entire body felt weak, her muscles tired and her eyes just wanting to close. A rushed medica-nin burst through the double doors.

“Are either of you type B?” He asked. Akurei raised her hand. He looked to Kakashi. “And you?”

“I’m type O,” Kakshi said, his worry rising the more he watched the nervous doctor. The man nodded.

“Ok, I need both of you. This way,” He whirled around and headed back towards the doors he came through. The Hatake followed wordlessly. He led them down a long hall and into a large room with three beds, but only one was occupied. Two other doctors hovered nervously around the patient. Chiho had been intubated and an IV hooked up to him to keep him stable and sleeping. The slow, steady beeping from the machines and the bright white lights were making Akurei feel dizzy.

“His hand would have been completely severed if this cut was any deeper… what could have done this? It cut clear through bone…” One of the doctors said to the other. “This is going to take some time, muscle and tendons were completely severed as well. Nothing is left connected to the tendons of the hand. The healing done to him could have caused more damage. He’ll be lucky to have full use of his fingers…” The doctor muttered. He recoiled at Akurei’s distraught reaction. “Ah… I mean, we’ll do our best.” He added.

Kakashi could feel Akurei’s anxiety. Her heart was racing, her breathing still rapid and on the verge of hyperventilating again. Her eyes couldn’t focus on anything. Kakashi was worried taking blood from her would cause her to pass out. He needed at least one of them awake. He needed to figure out what happened. But he needed her to calm down first.

“Excuse me, doctor. Can you give something to her?” Kakashi motioned to Akurei. She snapped out of her daze and protested.

“I’m fine, Kakashi.” She said.

“We shouldn’t give her any drugs if she’s giving blood. Are you injured?” One of the doctors asked. Akurei shook her head, her eyes going out of focus again. “You should lie down.” The medical-nin said, eyeing her ghostly pale face. He led her to one of the beds next to Chiho’s and had her lie down. The fact that she didn’t protest worried Kakashi.

“We need to open up his arm again,” The doctor said as he felt Chiho’s arm with gloves hands wrapped in a gentle glow. “I can’t reconnect the majority of the tendons yet... How much blood can we take?” He asked the other doctor, talking over Akurei.

“As much as you need,” Akurei said flatly, closing her eyes. The doctor nodded to the other and began to ready an IV for her.

“No, use mine.” Kakashi said, lying down in the other bed on the opposite side of Chiho. Akurei glanced at him and opened her mouth to protest. “You might need to answer questions later.” He said as he rolled up his sleeve.

“We… might need both of you for this.” The doctor said hesitantly, wordlessly instructing his companions to get both of them prepped for transfusion. Kakashi didn’t argue. “It’s going to be a long and difficult procedure, and he’s already lost too much blood. Tsunade-san is on her way, to give him a higher chance of functionality in his hand. But we’ll have to do it all manually, and keep his arm open. I’m sorry… But we will need to keep collecting as much blood from the two of you that is safe, just in case.” Kakashi nodded and Akurei closed her eyes again. The doctors rushed around to make sure everything was reading for Tsunade’s arrival.

Jin found himself before the Hyuuga compound. It was getting late, but he had nowhere else to go. He hated returning here. He adjusted his forehead protector apprehensively. He had graduated, something his father had once told him would never happen. Hiyashi still wasn’t proud. He hadn’t spoken to his father in years, but he knew he would never be proud. Jin had stopped trying long ago.

Jin passed the largest of the houses on the compound, the one for the main family. His two younger sisters lived there. He headed to one of the smaller houses that surrounded the mansion. As he turned a corner he nearly tripped over someone. A tiny girl, his little sister.

“Hanabi-san, sorry, I didn’t see you there,” Jin blurted, suddenly anxious. Hanabi had dodged Jin’s clumsy legs, and kept walking. She glanced back at him for a second before turning away. She silently turned a corner and was gone. Jin let out a breath, looking over his shoulder as he walked. He crashed into someone larger while his attention was focused behind him.

Neji shoved him in the chest, releasing chakra as he did so. There was a crushing pain in the tenketsu in his chest as Jin landed on his back.

“What the hell, Neji?!” He shouted, more in shock than angry. He looked up. Neji was glaring down at him. His long dark blue hair was held back by his forehead protector, his nearly white eyes filled with loathing.

“You’re going the wrong way. This area is for the _servants_ to you main clan.” Neji spat his words with rage. Jin jumped to his feet, feeling his own anger rising. Neji hadn’t always been hostile to him. Jin felt hurt, but it just turned into anger the longer he was near his cousin.

“Why do you still say that to me?!” Jin said, his voice louder than he meant it to be. Neji invoked his byakugan and struck again at Jin. Jin dodged a few of Neji’s gentle fist assaults, but one struck, then another. Neji was faster than him. He was two years younger but had surpassed him already. As more and more of his tenketsu were stabbed with Neji’s chakra, Jin finally released his own. He yelled, pushing back, releasing his wind from every tenketsu. Even the sealed ones became unblocked through sheer brute force. Jin’s chakra was swirling around him violently. He went on the attack, throwing massive quantities of chakra with every swing. Neji knew his techniques and dodged each one, having to exaggerate his movements to get out of the way of the shock waves Jin left.

“ _That’s enough!_ ” someone shouted. Their battle was ended instantly, both falling to the ground and screaming in pain, their chakra being dispelled. “This is no way for Hyuuga to act!” All either boy could do was writhe in agony as Hiashi activated their cursed seals with a single hand. Both of them clutched their heads, the pain blinding them to anything around them. It was excruciating, the pain radiating down their entire bodies.

As quickly as it started, the pain stopped. Jin lie motionless on the ground, his head spinning. Neji stood up and bowed to Hiashi, his hands in fists.

“You missed out on years of that, reject,” Neji muttered softly under his breath. He straightened up and walked away. Jin pushed himself to his feet and bowed, not making eye contact with his father. Hiashi walked away before Jin had stood up straight. He didn’t see the tears Jin was holding back. Not that he would have cared.

Ino decided to have some fun that night. A black cat with pale blue eyes stalked around the dimly lit Hyuuga compound. She knew exactly what she had done to Jin earlier. She wanted to watch his frustration again, this time when he was alone in the privacy of his home. She had felt him between her legs, now she wanted to see it.

She knew the feel of his wild chakra, it was unmistakable. She followed it. She had never been to the Hyuuga compound before. It was much bigger than both the Yamanaka and Inuzuka zones, and slightly more secluded due to that. The paths that led to each house were made of intentionally spaced round stones, Ino noted as she hopped gracefully to each one, not touching the dirt. There was a small shrine behind the main house, and a large training area. Even the buildings and lanterns had an old-fashioned feel to them.

Ino trotted past the huge mansion that belonged to the main family. She should have felt his chakra in there, but it wasn’t. She wondered what he could be doing out this late. Her tail flicked with amusement.

She came upon a small house. No, it wasn’t a house. It was more like a repurposed shed, she thought condescendingly. What was he doing here? It was one story, one room. She could feel Jin inside. She hopped to an open window, careful that the one she chose didn’t have light behind it. She didn’t want to cast a shadow and be seen.

She could see the entire room. There was a small futon, a single wooden dresser at the foot of the futon, and a lamp on the floor. Some clothes were piled on the floor near the dresser. Other than that, the room was barren. No shelves for books, no desk or table, not even a kitchen. There was a small bathroom, but the door didn’t even reach all the way to the ceiling.

The water was running. Jin must have been taking a shower. Why was he doing that here, of all places? Ino mused that maybe he had a secret relationship with one of the branch members. If that was the case, she was sad she had missed the action.

She waited in the tall window sill for the water to stop. Even though the windows were much higher than normal, she couldn’t see over the bathroom door. Ino mused that this person’s house felt more like a prison than a home.

Jin stepped out, rubbing his head with a towel. Ino’s eyes widened. She stared, her tail flicking madly. Jin’s body was perfectly proportioned, she could not look away. How had she never noticed this? He was far more muscular than any other shinobi at the academy, and he wasn’t even flexing right now. Ino had to check herself that she wouldn’t fall from the window sill and have a heart attack in her tiny cat body.

Jin threw the towel to the ground. The cool night air had already cleared away most of the steam his shower caused. His dark blue hair was wet hung down over his forehead and eyes. He shook his head like a dog, tiny droplets of water flying on all sides. She wasn’t looking at his face, thought. He had his back to her, looking in the foggy mirror. Her eyes were looking him up and down, his muscular back, insanely hard yet full butt, thighs and calves like rocks. It wasn’t until he wiped the fog from the mirror that Ino finally looked at his face in the reflection.

His expression was one Ino had never seen on him. It almost distracted her from his naked body. He looked sad. Once Ino noticed, she couldn’t stop feeling it. He was incredibly distressed. His chakra was still wild, but muted, as if he had used a lot of it. Was this her fault? Maybe she had gone too far, or had missed something. She felt a tiny pang of guilt until Jin brought his hand to his face, lifting up the curtain of bangs.

Her heart sank into her stomach. Across Jin’s forehead was the blue marking of the branch family. She was confused, that didn’t make any sense. He was Hiashi’s only son. She had once heard a rumor that he had been removed from the line of succession, but she assumed that was a temporary thing, maybe until he finally graduated or got older or something. She never knew he was cast out like this, so completely as to be fully rejected from his own family. It dawned on her slowly that this was probably where he lived. If he had been removed from the main family, he could no longer share their house.

Ino had never heard of the Hyuuga giving a main clan member the branch family cursed markings. That had never happened before. She had almost forgotten Jin was naked, this new information consumed her thoughts. She felt terrible for Jin. This might be why he cut his hair short, left it messy. An act of rebellion from their traditional, sophisticated ways. She could sense horrible emotions from him right now. He didn’t want to be there.

Jin turned around, his back against the wall, and slid down it until he was sitting. He put his face on his knees, wrapping his arms over his head. His toes clenched and gripped the hard floor, his fingers pulling at the roots of the hair on the back of his head.

… _should have just killed you. Why are you so fucking stupid? There’s no reason you should even be here. You’re a failure, no one will ever care about you. There’s a reason no one talks to you unless they have to. Because you’re a moron. Neji is right, you’re just a reject. An embarrassment to your family. Probably only graduated because you’re a Hyuuga. You should be dead, it would make everything so much easier for everyone else. Why didn’t father just kill you and get it over with? You shouldn’t even be here…_

Ino struggled to pull herself out of Jin’s thoughts. She hadn’t meant to listen, or to get stuck so deep, she felt like she could have drowned. That voice didn’t sound like Jin. But she knew it was. She was shaking, breathing fast as she jumped from the window sill and darted home as fast as she could on four small legs. When she got to her body she curled up into a ball and burst into tears.

The doctor had told Kakashi that they needed more blood than they wanted to take. Akurei had already passed out, the needle removed from her arm. There were three doctors following Tsunade's orders now as she tried to piece back a thousand tendons on his student’s arm and hand. They had to open the arm back up, the healing that was done to him was rudimentary at best, basically a tourniquet. They had a belt tight around Chiho’s upper arm to stop most of the bleeding while they worked, but it was still wasteful. But necessary.

Kakashi had said take as much as they could without killing him. He was much bigger than Akurei. He worked on controlling his breathing and staying as calm as he could, but he could already feel the familiar sensation of blood loss. His head felt light, cold and yet hot. His vision would start getting white soon. Hopefully they wouldn’t be rushing around looking for more blood after he fainted, too. That was unlikely, but still the thought of them needing more blood than he could give worried him.

Kakashi snuck a glance at Chiho. He had a breathing tube down his throat, eyes closed and skin pallid and ghastly. If it weren’t for the beeping of the machine attached to him, he would look dead. Seeing his pupil like that made his heart ache. He tried to take comfort in the fact that none of his major organs were in peril, but it didn’t help.

“What a sight! Are you trying to create more Hatake? Scary thought!” Came a teasing voice from the door. Kakashi didn’t have the strength to lift his head to see who it was, and instead continued to focus on his breathing. Footsteps approached his bed, accompanied by the clicking of claws on the hard floor. Someone was standing over him. He turned his head to the side.

“An Inuzuka. How fortunate for me,” Kakashi’s words were slightly slurred, but just as sarcastic as intended. He would have laughed if he wasn’t so sickeningly dizzy.

Standing over him was a woman and a giant black wolf. She smiled, revealing the fangs characteristic of her canine clan. She had short, messy black hair that stopped just above her shoulders. Her red forehead protector was tied loosely around her neck, her wild bangs almost covered her eyes. They were the most remarkable thing about her. Her right eye was an icy blue, the left a bright yellow. They were wide with amusement, staring down at him. She wore the same jounin green flak jacket as Kakashi, but hers was unzipped, her breasts spilling out of the shirt she wore underneath. Both of her arms were completely wrapped in taijutsu bands, from shoulder to fingers.

She placed a hand on the head of her wolf, who made a faint rumbling sound in the back of his throat. Her wolf had the same eyes that she did- one icy blue, one yellow. The wolf's face was covered in scars, patches without fur where the old wounds were. Around his blue eye were the largest scars, three long and jagged claw marks. They were quite the sight.

“Kakashi! It’s been too long. We’ll have to catch up when you’re not about to pass out. I was sent to investigate and track, do you have any intel for me?” She asked, the playful grin never leaving her face. He thought back to their time in ANBU together. She had never been eccentric when she was younger. Perhaps that was due to the nature and secrecy of their missions. Goro had almost always been the one to talk for the two when Kakashi worked with them. He had wondered if she was a mute back then- the complete opposite of the person standing before him. Ever since she became a teacher like him, she could light up a room with her presence. She certainly was interesting.

“Not much, Yuina. Only that my students were attacked, behind Akurei’s house… they didn’t seem to see anything, but I didn’t get many answers before they both were out cold. Sorry I can’t be of more use,” Kakashi said. The woman waved it off.

“Don’t worry about it, once we get the scent we can figure it out. Goro can remember the smell of just about everyone who has ever lived in Konoha. Can’t you, old man?” She cackled, pulling her hand back quickly as the wolf snapped at it with jaws the size of her entire forearm.

“Don’t push your luck, Yui,” His words sounded like deep growls, his eyes filled with a suppressed fury. Kakashi almost couldn’t understand him through the rumbling coming from the beast's chest. “Come,” He barked, turning and walking out the hospital door. His long nails clicked on the hard floor as he strode down the hall. Yuina smirked at Kakashi again.

“Later, Kakashi!” She waved behind her and disappeared. Kakashi let out a sigh, his vision getting white at the edges. At least he managed to stay awake long enough to see those two creatures.


	18. Trust

Yuina and Goro dashed for the outskirts of Konoha, where Kakashi’s little sister liked to live in solitude. The hulking black wolf led the way while Yuina followed, her mind wandering to thoughts of Kakashi. She didn't realize how much she had missed him. They had both put their ANBU status on hold to become teachers, yet they still didn’t often cross paths outside of group meetings. She made a mental note to bother him more.

When they reached the house, there was a bit of damage in the front. Kakashi said they had been attacked behind the house. Yuina examined the trees, the broken branches and black, burnt scars and holes in the trunks. Fire or lightning chakra.

“Uchiha. Hatake. Yamanaka. Cat.” Goro growled. As if it knew it was being addressed, a black cat with golden eyes exited the house through a window and pranced up to the two. It purred and began rubbing against Goro’s legs. Yuina let out a cackle at the sight of something so cute and innocent attracted to her giant, menacing partner. Goro lowered his head to the cat and stared into its eyes. He sniffed its face, the air that blasted in spurts from his nostrils blowing the cat’s fur wildly. The cat closed its eyes but didn’t stop purring.

“Who on earth trained this thing to not be afraid of monsters?” Yuina frowned at the cat. Goro shot her an evil look.

“Yamanaka Ino, her scent is on it. It’s been given chakra, like our clan did ages ago to breed canines with more intelligence than their humans.” Goro muttered as he sniffed the ground. Yuina scoffed as she followed him to the back of the house. She smelled it, and knew Goro did too as they rounded the house.

“Blood.” She said, getting down on her hands and knees and sniffing. It was definitely the same blood she had just smelled in the hospital. She glanced at Goro, the tiny black cat trotting along behind him and occasionally swatting at his long, bushy tail. He ignored it as he continued to track intently. Yuina laughed.

“Focus, Yui,” He snapped at her, his voice loud and menacing. It rumbled like distant thunder, but she felt it in her chest. Her insides jumped and she stopped smiling. The hulking wolf stopped walking and turned to look at her. Yuina froze, anticipating more scolding. “Do you recognize this?” He asked. Yuina let out a breath and sniffed the ground again.

“There is one more scent here…” She mumbled, trying to match it with an image in her head but finding none. “I don’t know him.”

“He isn’t important. But he was with someone, before he attacked…” Goro said. He was so serious that Yuina was getting worried. She smelled again and her blood ran cold. She met his gaze with wide eyes.

“Orochimaru.” Even saying that name made Yuina uncomfortable. “So he sent someone. To do what, attack some genin?”

“That freak has never made any sense,” Goro snarled, his ears pulled back. The black cat continued to play with Goro’s tail, as if not comprehending the gravity of the situation. Yuina would have been amused if she hadn’t been so unnerved.

“I’d rather donate half my blood to that Yamanaka kid than follow that trail.” Yuina said, a disgusted look on her face. It would never be permitted for only the two of them, anyway. “Let’s head back.” Goro growled in agreement as the two headed back to report to the Hokage. He would be interested to know just how close Orochimaru’s accomplice had gotten to Konoha.

Chiho woke up hearing the steady beeps of a machine, groggy and confused. He was lying down. He stared up at nothing, only it was white and blinding. His eyes were blurry. He blinked a few times, trying to figure out where he was. He had only just been with Akurei. Then it all hit him. The man who had almost taken her, the look in her eyes after he pulled Inabi out, his arm.

Chiho lifted his right arm over himself, half expecting to see nothing but a stump. His panic subsided when he saw that his hand was still attached. He was covered in thick white bandages from his elbow to his hand. The entire hand was wrapped, too, each finger tightly bound like a glove. He tried to move his fingers as delicately as possible, expecting pain. But he felt nothing. His fingers twitched, but his hand wouldn’t close. Uncomfortable sensations shot up and down his arm, numb but not.

He lifted his left hand. There was a heart monitor on his index finger. He unclipped it and dropped it to the ground, the beep turning into a long droning sound. He touched his right hand with his left. There was that uncomfortable sensation again, but he couldn’t feel anything else. Starting to panic, Chiho forced himself to sit up, cradling his right arm against his chest.

Suddenly the door to his room opened, two doctors rushing in. They calmed down when they saw he was sitting, and approached where he sat on the bed.

“You need to lie back down and rest,” One doctor said. They blocked his path, putting their hands on his shoulders and trying to gently push him back down.

“No, I’m fine, where’s Akurei?” Chiho blurted. He tried to push against the doctors but was too weak. They held him down against the bed until he stopped struggling.

“Let him go, it’s fine.” A calm voice said. A blonde woman with a green jacket and large breasts entered the room. Chiho recognized her as one of the legendary sannin, Tsunade. She was Konoha’s best healer. So then why didn’t his hand work? “Yamanaka Chiho.” She stated. The two doctors moved and took their places behind her. Chiho said nothing, but watched her. She had an intimidating and powerful presence that filled the room. “Before you start to worry, your friend and teacher are fine. No one was injured but you. They gave you a lot of blood. Now then, let’s get back to that hand,” She reached out and picked it up off Chiho’s chest without bothering to ask. He stayed silent as her hand began to glow with chakra. “It might take a while to heal. I’m afraid there isn’t much I can do about the nerve damage, but it should fade with some more time. Now I need to assess your range of movement. Make your hand into a fist, please,” She commanded.

Chiho tried to do as he was told. All his fingers did was twitch again, that uncomfortable tingling feeling shooting up his arm. Tsunade frowned, but continued to feel around his forearm, healing. Chiho felt nothing.

“Move one finger at a time, starting with your index finger,” She said. Chiho tried his best, but all he got were a few twitches. “Middle,” Another weak twitch. They went through each finger, but the result was the same. Tsunade turned his hand over, so the palm was facing down. His wrist drooped down limply. “Try to lift your whole hand, at the wrist.” She said. Chiho tried, his wrist moving in unsteady, jerky movements. He couldn’t get it out flat. The whole time he did so, Tsunade had her chakra in his arm, trying to feel where the disconnect in the tendons were. Finally she put his hand back down on his chest and sighed.

“I can’t guarantee it’ll ever be perfect. It will take a while to heal, however. Be patient. It probably won’t always be this bad.” She said. Tsunade took a step back from the bed, turning to the doctors. “He can have visitors. But keep him here for a few days. I want to monitor his progress.” She strode out of the room as the doctors stood at attention.

As soon as Tsunade was gone, Akurei rushed in, Kakashi behind her. The two doctors whispered something to Kakashi as Akurei fought the urge to hug Chiho.

“Chiho, I’m so sorry,” She began, but he shook his head.

“Your life is more important than my arm. Besides, it’ll be fine in a few days,” Chiho said, trying to look as calm as possible. Akurei could feel the lie in his chakra, but didn’t push it. “Thanks for the blood,” He added. He got a small smile out of her. Kakashi approached the bed and stood next to his sister.

“Don’t need any more again, ok?” Kakashi said warmly. Suddenly the three fixed their glances on the door. Wild, uncontrollable chakra was barreling through the hospital corridors. Jin burst through the door, nearly breaking it off the hinges.

“Chiho!!” He shouted, crossing the room in one last dramatic charge. Akurei tried to stop him, but he threw his arms around Chiho’s neck in a big hug. “What happened?!” His broad shoulder was pushing against Chiho’s face, making speech difficult.

“Sorry, I tried to stop him.” Ino ran into the room, out of breath from chasing Jin. “I told him with my telepathy that you were here, I figured he’d want to know…I didn’t think he’d break down half of Konoha to get here.” She said, looking at Jin in awe. Then she turned to her cousin. “Are you ok?” She asked. Akurei pried Jin off Chiho.

“Yeah, I’ll be fine. Thanks, Ino.” Chiho said.

“Wow, party in here!” Another voice came from the doorway. No one had heard them coming. Yuina was leaning against the doorframe, arms crossed under her breasts, Goro at her heels. Her messy black hair was covering her stunning heterochromatic eyes. She strolled into the room. “It’s good your whole team is here, Kakashi. I have news.” She was grinning, her sharp canines showing. “Konoha is on lockdown, which sounds boring as hell. But we have a special training assignment. All of the genin teams are meeting tomorrow morning at the training grounds in the academy.” She said, looking at Akurei, Ino and Jin. She glanced to Chiho. “Not you, obviously.”

“Thanks for letting us know, Yuina. What did you find?” Kakashi asked, looking even more bored than usual. This only motivated her. Her grin widened.

“Come with me and I’ll tell you,” She smiled mischievously, turning her back to him and sauntering out the door, her hips swaying with her steps. Goro rolled his eyes and left. Kakashi followed, zero reaction in his eyes.

“You heard the crazy woman. Tomorrow morning.” Kakashi said as he left.

Chiho was watching Akurei. Meeting his striking lavender eyes caused Inabi to react, his fire sneaking out from between the bars. Akurei’s eyes flickered red. Inabi was looking at Chiho, at his narrow chin and slender neck. He wanted to touch him. Akurei tried to suppress Inabi and his desires; Jin and Ino were still in the room. Jin might not notice anything, but Ino was a Yamanaka. She would know if they were using any mind jutsu, not to mention she was a sensory-type too.

Akurei hated feeling the things that Inabi did. She continued to try to shove him back down, but it was proving more difficult to do than normal. He had been out of control since Chiho had released him and she was getting frustrated. Ino raised an eyebrow.

“Jin, I think we should go,” She teased.

“What? Why?” He looked at her dumbfounded. Ino took him by the hand. Akurei noticed how much his chakra flared up when she touched him, much like Inabi’s did when he saw Chiho. Jin’s defiance melted away instantly. He followed Ino to the door, staring at the back of her head as she led him behind her. “See you tomorrow, Akurei,” Ino winked. She pulled Jin outside, who didn’t protest but instead seemed eager. She smirked as she closed the door, having to shove it into the doorframe that Jin had smashed a bit.

As soon as they was gone, Chiho reached out and grabbed Akurei’s hand. Or tried to. He had used his right hand, and realized that he couldn’t even feel if her hand was touching his or not. Akurei sensed his distress and put her hand in his, sitting down on the edge of the bed. Inabi’s chakra was going wild now; she couldn’t control it.

“We should talk...” Chiho said solemnly. Akurei looked down but said nothing. She looked so sad, but the fire chakra was flickering excitedly beneath the surface. It confused Chiho more than he wanted to admit. “I'm sorry invading your privacy earlier, that wasn't ok,”

“Well you saved my life so I can't really be mad,” She said, her face a blank mask. Chiho felt a hint of annoyance sparking in her lightning.

“I want you to trust me, so I will... refrain, in the future.” Chiho said. He didn't know why this conversation was making him feel so awkward. Possibly because he wasn't sure what to expect, or what was wrong with her head. What if he couldn't fix it? What if it was dangerous? He had to know everything. “I want to meet him... I'm asking for permission, you can say no... and I will respect that. But I'll keep trying.” Akurei tensed up and let go of his hand.

“Why are you so convinced that there is someone to meet? Do you know how crazy you sound?” She glared at him, but her anxious and upset energy was in complete contention with the excited fire.

“Yes, I do. But whatever secret you have, I want you to know that I can handle it.” Chiho said, trying to maintain an aura of calm.

“What about your uncle? You going to go running to him again?” Akurei snapped at him aggressively.

“No, that was a horrible mistake. One that I won't repeat. I will tell him to back off, but in return you have to trust me.”

“What a trade,” Akurei rolled her eyes. “So I risk everything for you to be nosy. No thanks.” Akurei said, crossing her arms. Her eyes wandered to the far wall. Chiho had no idea what he could offer her or how he could convince her to let him in.

“I can help you, Akurei. Please let me try,” He was out of ideas and it was getting harder for him to hide his impatience. Logically he understood her hesitation, but that didn't make it any less annoying.

“No. And don't ask again.” Akurei stood and headed for the exit. She left without looking back, closing the door behind her.


	19. Teamwork

The five genin teams stood in a line-up in the open training field, their teachers facing them. Kakashi and Yuina stood with three teachers Akurei wasn’t familiar with. A woman with long black hair and red eyes, a serious man with a beard and a cigarette in his mouth, and a strange man with short black hair and a prominent chin all stood before the students. Goro was sitting directly next to Yuina, his back straight and his head nearly up to her shoulders. Akurei watched him and marveled; even from a distance the wolf had an undeniably regal presence that demanded respect.

Akurei glanced around at her former academy schoolmates. She hadn’t bothered to learn the names of most. She glanced down the line; only a few faces stood out. She recognized the two other Hyuuga, even though she forgot their names. The serious boy with long hair was Jin’s cousin, Neji. Why did she remember that name? He stood with his teammates, a girl in a Chinese dress and a boy with black hair and a green outfit. Jin’s younger sister, a timid girl with short hair, stood next to an Inuzuka boy with his small white dog and an Aburame boy wearing sunglasses. Akurei glanced at the beautiful Ino, who she had watched mount Jin in Chiho’s body, and chuckled inwardly. She stood with her teammates, a fat boy and a bored-looking boy with his black hair up in a short ponytail. At the far end of the line was Sasuke. He stood with a pink-haired girl and an obnoxious blonde boy. Akurei was mildly surprised at how little she knew about any of them.

“We’re doing a special exercise today!” The teacher wearing green shouted a little too loud. A few people cringed, but his student wearing a matching outfit leaned forward, a fire sparked in his eyes. “Bracket sparring! Let’s see how far you’ve come as a team! Back each other up!” His voice somehow managed to get even louder. “The winners will move on to fight the next team!”

Akurei glanced around again, bored by the man’s annoying shouting. She watched her own teammate from the corner of her eye, sensing something different about him. Jin stared at the ground. He seemed off, as if already defeated. Akurei wondered if he was upset because Chiho was still in the hospital. The air around him felt strange, almost stagnant. His chakra wasn’t spilling out or flowing as rampant as it usually did. He didn’t seem to be nervous or even interested in the fights about to take place.

The eccentric man had been talking, but Akurei hadn’t been listening. The teachers each approached their students. She looked up at her brother.

“From the looks of intense concentration on your faces, I will assume you understand what’s happening.” He said sarcastically. “You’re fighting Guy’s team first, by the way.” He added, his expression as bored as ever. Akurei was secretly thankful for his terse explanation. She pursed her lips, thinking.

“But there are only two of us…” Akurei said flatly, meeting Kakashi’s eye with hers.

“Fights aren’t always fair. Good luck!” Kakashi said with a flicker of a smile beneath his mask.

Akurei and Jin stepped forward into the large clearing and stood across from Team Guy, everyone else joining their teachers at the tree line. Akurei stared straight ahead at her opponents, feeling them with her chakra. She knew that she would need to be the one to take the lead today. Whatever was wrong with Jin she wouldn’t be able to address now. But she was at a slight disadvantage; she had missed so much of the academy that she didn’t know how any of them fought. But that meant that they had never seen her fight, either. She smirked.

Neji, who stood in the middle of his teammates, was definitely the strongest of them. His chakra control was on par with her own. Earth and water. Stable and controlled. But both of his teammates were seriously lacking any control of their chakra whatsoever. The green one had no affinity, no element, and no ability to shape his chakra. The girl was similar, but had potential. They might not need Chiho after all, Akurei thought.

Neji watched his cousin’s teammate. He knew a lot about her. He had actually been disappointed that they hadn’t been paired together, another reason to hate Jin. She had been kicked out of the Torture and Interrogation Force after the Uchiha massacre. The fact that she had even been selected for it at such a young age was incredible. She absolutely fascinated him. He was ecstatic to finally see what was so special about her.

“Start!” Guy shouted dramatically. Everyone crouched down into fighting stance, waiting for their opponent to make the first move. Everyone but Akurei. She sat down where she had been standing next to Jin. She crossed her legs, took a deep breath and closed her eyes. She put her hand down gently on her knees, palms facing up. Lee’s jaw dropped.

“What is she doing?!” Lee shouted, pointing at her. He wasn’t even trying to control his annoyance. Tenten gritted her teeth and whipped three kunai directly at Akurei. Before they could make contact, Jin held his arm out and pushed the kunai out of the air with a forceful gust of wind. All three dropped to the ground. Akurei smiled inwardly; so she could still depend on Jin even if he was moody.

Neji activated his byakugan. Her chakra was gorgeous. Fifteen dark blue, thin arms reaching out from her core, undulating gently, almost hypnotically. They were serene and calm. Was she meditating? No. He followed each chakra tendril. Neji was disappointed that it took him so long to figure it out.

“Tenten!” Neji yelled, but he was too late. Akurei appeared behind her, leg charged with chakra to give it speed. A swift kick to the side of her head sent her flying, her body limply rolling across the ground until it slowed to a stop. She was stunned, and eliminated in their first barrage of attack. The Akurei that had been meditating vanished in a puff of smoke. But Neji was fast, too. Before Akurei even landed his open palm slammed her in the chest, chakra shooting clear through her entire body. This Akurei vanished, too.

Neji and Lee stood across from Jin. Akurei walked out from behind him, smiling deviously. Neji could see the entire sparring field but he hadn’t seen her move. He needed to focus to keep sight of her. But she wouldn’t be able to do it again, he thought crossly. He had her figured out already. She had started out strong; that meant she didn’t have much stamina. Judging from the look on his cousin’s face, Jin had no idea what her strategy was. So they weren’t really coordinating attacks.

“Lee, you take Jin. He’ll be good taijutsu practice.” Neji said. He could see Tenten without needed to turn his head. She’d be out for little while, but when she woke up she’d be furious. By then, Akurei would be out of steam. She was going up against a team that specialized in hand-to-hand combat. He could see how small her chakra reserve was. Neji smirked. It was going to be easy to outlast her; that’s where his team excelled.

Kakashi watched from the sidelines. His sister had an interesting way to try to get the upper hand. She was good at playing mind games, he’d give her that much. He felt a strange flicker of pride. She had really been paying attention to him; she learned that ignoring your opponent had the potential to throw them off. He smiled, feeling the weight of his porn novel in his bag. But he was afraid this match-up wasn’t in their favor, especially with only two of them. Kakashi felt something land on his shoulder. He glanced over to see a black cat with lavender eyes.

“Oh, look, Goro. It’s your friend,” Yuina teased, gesturing towards the cat. The wolf huffed.

“That isn’t who you think it is,” He growled. Yuina looked again and smirked.

“So it isn’t.” She flashed her fangs, staring at the cat.

“Good to see you, Chiho. But you should be resting,” Kakashi said quietly to the cat on his shoulder. He didn’t respond. Kakashi knew he couldn’t force Chiho to go back to his body, so he let him stay on his shoulder.

Suddenly Lee was directly in front of Jin, releasing a barrage of punches and kicks. Jin was caught off guard and could only block. But he quickly recovered, returning his own attacks, releasing tornadoes of chakra with every punch. The two were locked in combat, evenly matched in speed. Neji knew he could focus all of his attention on Akurei now.

Her chakra was completely different than it had been before. Instead of the tranquil swaying and flowing the tendrils had been doing before, they were now jagged and intimidatingly fast as they jolted and jerked through the air like lightning. Six of them were positioned around him like a claw. They whipped themselves into long, thin needles at his vital points at his core. Neji was shocked she knew exactly where to strike, but before she could he spun his chakra around himself in a vortex that ripped the chakra needles out of her grasp.

Akurei grimaced, annoyed. She had just thrown away a bit of chakra with that failed attack. Neji was still grinning. Why had she thought that would work on a Hyuuga? She must not have any experience with a Hyuuga who knows what he’s doing with chakra, Neji mused.

Before she could try another attack, Neji was upon her, his chakra ready in his hands and stance low. Akurei knew this stance. It was the Hyuuga’s gentle fist technique. Neji attacked her with open palms, his movements fluid and fast. She had seen Jin fight like this, but completely lacking the grace that Neji had. Jin used so much force that calling it gentle was so far from reality it was almost comical. Akurei had dodged his massive attacks, surely she could dodge Neji’s small ones.

But his small attacks were insanely controlled compared to Jin’s. She had to use all of her focus, all of her chakra to keep him from hitting her. She used her chakra as a boost to try to get space between them, flitting around the training field like strikes of lightning, but he chased right after her. She knew even one hit could be the end of the match.

Akurei knew she needed to go on the offensive. In a battle of stamina like this she would surely lose. She readied her own chakra around Jin, who didn’t react at all and continued to viciously battle Lee. Neji’s eyes widened. He didn’t understand why she was about to attack her teammate. She had six jagged arms surrounding him, reaching for his chakra. Suddenly Neji jumped back, barely dodging a projectile of pure chakra. It left a tiny hole on the ground. She stopped dodging and stood still, bringing her hands to her face in a seal. What jutsu was she about to use? Neji ran a hundred possibilities through his head, but was drawing a blank.

Neji was forced to dodge again, as another needle of chakra was whipped at him, then another. Akurei was taking Jin’s wasted chakra and turning it into her own attack. He didn’t even seem to notice. She kept it up, throwing impossibly fast, lightning-charged projectiles at him. One grazed his thigh, cutting into his pants and splitting open his skin. He gnashed his teeth, but was unable to see how deep the cut was while focusing on dodging.

A few more and Akurei paused. Neji could see that this attack wasted a part of her own chakra, too. Again, all he would have to do is outlast her. Before she finished her break he rushed at her once again, forcing her to go back to dodging. When she started to slow down it would only take one hit. Neji smiled, speeding up his attacks.

Neji struck, fast and from an angle Akurei hadn’t predicted. But one single projectile made Neji have to stop an attack that would have otherwise made contact. He cursed as she hopped back. That’s when he noticed Akurei positioning her chakra arms around Lee. She struck before he could even warn him, forcing her lightning chakra into his system that was eternally wide-open and vulnerable. Lee screamed in pain and paused long enough for Jin to get a good hit in. Jin’s punch was packed with a whirlwind of chakra that crushed on impact and sent Lee flying.

Chiho let out a soft growl, jumping off Kakashi’s shoulder. He was caught before his feet his the ground and tucked under his sensei’s arm.

“Sorry, Chiho. You’re only watching today.” Kakashi said. The cat struggled briefly, growling.

_Akurei, move!_

She heard Chiho’s voice and snapped to attention, but it was too late. Neji hadn’t moved, but she had lost track of a different piece of the puzzle. By the time she had noticed the trap it was too late. A silent, invisible strand glinted in the sun a second before it tightened. A thin metal wire had been looped around to two trees on the far sides of the clearing, their target in the center. It tightened around her so quickly it forced the breath from her lungs, squeezing her arms at her sides and her legs together, lifting her a few inches off the ground. Before she had even taken a breath in, Neji charged at her, arm pulled back. She was wide open.

Jin tried to intercept, but he was too far. Neji’s palm slammed into her diaphragm, a burst of chakra stabbing through her like a knife and piercing straight out of her back. She slumped over, eyes wide and unfocused, coughing out a mouthful of blood. The wires loosened and she fell forward, her arms not capable of catching her. Blood dripped out of her mouth as she took small, hyperventilating sips of air, unable to draw a full breath. She was choking on her own blood, her chakra thrown out of control and blocked. Her body heaved rapidly, convulsing on the ground as she tried to breathe.

“Good job, Tenten,” Neji said with a satisfied smirk as Jin rushed at him in a rage, screaming, his chakra wild and exploding out of him. “Go check on Lee. I’ll take care of this.” He turned to face his cousin, readying his stance.

_Jin, no! Think before you rush in!_

The black cat was wiggling in Kakashi’s arms, but he didn’t let go.

_Use your byakugan! Don’t lose sight of Tenten,_

Chiho was starting to get anxious. Akurei was in bad shape, from one single attack. Her lungs were damaged from the inside. If he were in the fight he could heal her while Jin distracted them. But without access to him, Akurei wouldn’t be much more help in this battle. He could feel how much of her chakra was blocked with a single attack. She was absolutely panicking right now, struggling to breathe, her chest in so much pain. Chiho felt horrible he couldn’t do anything. But he remembered how he had been able to calm her down from a distance one day they were training.

_Akurei… calm down, slow your breathing._

He projected calm towards her, feeling through her empty chakra system with his water. It rushed into her chakra veins like water down a familiar path. He couldn’t heal physical damage from this far, but maybe he could do enough to at least calm her down. He tried to direct his water inside her system. It worked a little. Instead of hyperventilating, she was taking slower sips of air. Still shallow, but less vigorous and hard on the body.

Chiho looked to Jin. He was wasting so much chakra with every hit, Neji dodging every attack effortlessly. He was even easier to read when he was worked up, something his cousin knew well. Chiho was racking his brains trying to think of something that could help. Tenten was already healing Lee. Soon it would be three vs. one.

“Inabi…” Akurei stood before the red gates. Only darkness was beyond. “I need your chakra, the fire-” A burst of red chakra cut her off, spilling from between the bars and whipping all around her like a thousand tails. Inabi was angry.

“What you _need_ is to be stronger,” He snapped, emerging from the shadows. His blood red eyes were wide, his face serious. All of the sadistic humor he had shown yesterday was replaced with annoyance.

“I’m wounded!” She pleaded, her eyes wide and scared.

“You’re training in the middle of Konoha. This isn’t my fight. You’ll be fine.” He said, his fire settling down into boredom.

“I’m bleeding, from the inside, I don’t know what-” She stuttered. Inabi could sense her panic. It amused him greatly.

“A Hyuuga, huh? It won’t be your last time. Learn to deal with it. Leave.” He grunted. Akurei couldn’t hide the hurt she felt. She didn’t know why he was in such a bad mood. She almost preferred him when he was messing with her, anything was better than sheer rejection.

Akurei opened her eyes, she was back on the ground, a small pool of blood forming under her chin. Every inhale was agony, every exhale was a cough that sent shockwaves of pain through her chest and more blood trickling down her face. No, she had to focus. Inabi was right. Nothing too horrible could happen here, not with all the teachers nearby. She squeezed her eyes shut, determined to find her limit.

Jin was a torrent of relentless chakra. Neji was unable to get a hit in, all he could do was dodge. But that was all he needed to do. He was letting Jin wear himself down, keeping him far away from Lee and Tenten. Jin had no plan, no strategy. So much wasted potential on someone so irresponsible, he thought. All Neji had to do was wait until his teammates were up, and they’d finish the fight quickly. He could probably do it easily by himself.

“I can tell she’s never been hit by a decent Hyuuga technique before,” Neji smirked as he dodged gracefully. “Only took a single hit to take her out.” His taunts worked, just as he knew they would. Jin picked up the pace, wasting even more energy in his blind rage. The next punch Neji dodged into, leaning back so Jin’s arm crossed right in front of him. He brought his hand up right into Jin’s forearm, shooting a dagger of chakra straight through it. Jin yelled and recoiled in pain. Neji took the opportunity to strike another tenketsu in his shoulder, then another in his other arm. Jin was finished.

Before Jin could react, Neji was stabbing him with chakra over and over, blocking each tenketsu one by one at an incredible speed. Jin couldn’t block the hits, and he was too slow to dodge now. He was moving too fast, striking like a hundred snakes at once. Within seconds Neji had blocked all of Jin’s chakra. Jin fell to his knees, shaking with the effort to not collapse. Neji looked down at him with a satisfied expression.

Right as Neji was waiting to hear their teachers call the match, he saw Akurei stand up on shaky legs. Her chakra was flowing, but it was off-balance and greatly impeded. What shocked him the most was the look on her face. She lifted her head, blood still dripping from her mouth, taking ragged and strained breaths. Her mouth was twisted into a half-smile, the other side of her face cringing through the pain. She stared directly at Neji. He watched as she whipped a few chakra tendrils back out. Three, then four. Nothing compared to the fifteen she had started with, and they were much shorter and less robust. They reached out to him and struck one by one. Neji had to use his own chakra to sever each arm before it could grab his chakra. One connected, and immediately pulled at his chakra. So she was going to try to take his to replenish her own. Neji was fascinated by her ability to manipulate the chakra of others. If she were a Hyuuga, she’d be unstoppable.

Neji charged at her. One more attack would have her down for good this time. He rushed across the training field, using the chakra gathered at his hands to deflect her strikes at his system, like severing the heads of snakes. But they kept growing back. One of the tendrils shot straight passed him. Had she really missed that badly? He was almost upon her, and she was in no condition to dodge. Then he saw it behind him. Across the field, Akurei’s chakra struck her teammate. All at once Jin’s chakra burst from his every tenketsu, blasting in all directions like an explosion and sending a shockwave of wind towards the spectators. She had jammed her chakra into Jin and used it to release him. But he was too far away to do anything to guard her from his next attack, and she had no chakra left over, Neji thought with a smirk. It was a good try, though, and would have worked if he had been closer. But the match was over. Neji pulled his arm back, readying to strike her chest.

Neji felt the pain of a knife stab him in the back and immediately his own chakra was wiped out, his limbs losing control. A needle of white chakra burst from his chest and kept going, dissipating into the air mere inches away from Akurei’s face. She stared in horror, involuntarily holding her breath when she saw what had almost happened.

Neji’s momentum carried him forward. He crashed to the ground at Akurei’s feet, his arms at his sides and chakra completely out of control. He glanced back at Jin. He hadn’t taken a step; he was still way too far away to have used their technique. But his stance was low, his palm open and facing them, his byakugan engaged. He had shot his chakra clear across the field. Neji could not accept it.

Neji pushed himself to his hands and knees, coughing blood onto the ground under him. He tried to get his chakra back under control, but something was stopping him. He felt a painful numbing sensation as he realized the chakra in his system was not his. Akurei was ripping it from him, throwing him into even more chaos than Jin’s attack alone. He could not get himself back under control. He spit up another mouthful of blood onto the ground.

Suddenly Akurei dropped to her knees before him. Even without his byakugan he could see what a stupid mistake she just made. Neji chuckled.

“That was quite the oversight,” He laughed, which caused another spout of blood from his lungs. His own chakra was so out of control he couldn’t even assess which organ Jin had hit, but judging from the blood one of his lungs must have been pierced at the very least. Akurei’s lightning would only last a few more seconds; it was being thrown into chaos by Neji’s earth. She had tried to take his chakra and use it herself. It would have worked, if he had only the water element. But earth and lightning did not mix well, not before every other element had been mastered. Surely she should have known this.

“Then I’ll take you out with me,” She laughed through clenched, bloody teeth. Suddenly the electricity was unbearable. In a single strike of lightning, Neji’s entire system was overloaded. His vision failed, he saw nothing, felt nothing but numb. As her chakra rushed into his system, he felt his own leaving. She’d have to accept his earth chakra flooding her own system. She would render them both immobile that way. The two hit the ground at the same time, each taking strained breaths. Neji’s muscles twitched involuntarily thanks to her lightning. But his head was spinning, the ground was moving. He was sure Akurei was in a similar state.

_Akurei, I specifically told you not to do that…_

Kakashi shot a glance down at the cat in his arms. The cat looked up, eyes wide and guilty. He hadn’t meant for Kakashi to hear anything. His telepathy must have been difficult to control when he was still injured and his body far away. So he had been able to help his teammates after all, Kakashi thought. Well, as much as the two stubborn ninja would allow. Akurei seemed determined to self-destruct to take out Neji. Kakashi could imagine why, though. In a battle of pure skill, Neji would destroy Jin. But Jin had a good chance of beating the other two, even outnumbered. If only he hadn’t wasted so much chakra getting upset at Neji. Kakashi was sure Chiho was irritated at that; it was probably another command that had been ignored.

“So how does it feel… to be the first to lose?” Akurei said hoarsely, flashing a bloody smile. From where her body lay in a heap on the ground she was facing Neji. He glared back at her, trying to sigh but coughing instead.

“You are insufferable… And we tied for last,” He retorted. Neji didn’t know if he was more angry or amused. No, definitely angry. He tried to speak again, but no words came out. The numb, dizzy, spinning feeling was starting to make him feel sick. He squeezed his eyes shut, trying to calm down. He tried to will his body to move, to just take a kunai and jam it into her back, but his body wouldn’t obey. He settled for the imagery.

On the other side of the clearing, Jin and Lee were locked in battle once more. Only this time Jin had to dodge a barrage of projectiles while he fought. Tenten knew better than to get too close, and her head was pulsating with pain from Akurei’s kick. Jin was discharging chakra with each hit, but much less than before. Lee was slowing down, too; Tenten had healed his broken ribs but there was still splitting pain with every breath. But they were both a tornado of flying limbs from every angle, Lee dodging most of Jin’s attacks while Jin blocked using his chakra.

Jin went for a side kick but had to change the angle at the last second to dodge more kunai, but one grazed his leg. He hadn’t had the chance to push the blade away with his wind; he had slowed down too much. Lee took advantage of that mistake and got him across the face with a kick of his own, sending Jin flying. Jin quickly jumped back to his feet to block another attack. Three more kunai were thrown, and missed, standing up, their points jammed into the dirt. Lee swiftly jumped away, but Jin hadn’t noticed the explosive tags connected to each one.

There was three rapid explosions, fire and smoke. Jin was thrown across the field, rolling to a stop as the smoke cleared. He got back to his feet, disoriented and stumbling, but managed to block another whirlwind of kicks from Lee.

_Jin, she’s going to use the wires again; use your byakugan! You can track them, the chakra-_

But Chiho was too late, and Jin was too disoriented. For once he didn’t have enough chakra to keep up with his opponents anymore. Jin didn’t even see the wires directly in front of him; Tenten behind him on the other side of the clearing. He didn’t stop the wires from constricting around his neck and yanking him backwards with so much force his feet weren’t touching the ground anymore. Lee jumped above him, leg high in the air and readying a downward kick. Jin couldn’t react fast enough, and Lee slammed his leg down into Jin’s ribcage, releasing a torrent of chakra as he did. Jin heard the cracking of bone, felt a stabbing pain in his abdomen, but with the wire around his neck he couldn’t expel the air from his lungs. Jin hit the ground so hard it cracked and broke under him as blood spurted from his mouth. He lied unmoving on his back in a small crater.

Kakashi was above him in a second, Chiho still under his arm. He dropped the cat to the ground. Hopefully he could still heal. Kakashi heard the crunch and knew it was bad. How many ribs had pierced his lungs? If one was collapsed, things could get bad quickly.

Guy entered the clearing swiftly, pulling Lee away from the fallen Jin.

“You won! I knew you could do it! All three of you worked together so wonderfully!” Guy said, tears streaming down his face. “But we need to let them heal now, you need to be more careful with that kick! Buy him ramen as an apology!” Lee saluted his sensei, apologizing profusely.

_Ino! I can’t heal by myself, come-_

Before he could finish his thought, his cousin was there, standing over Jin with fear in her eyes. Everyone had heard Jin’s bones snap like twigs. He wasn’t breathing. He stared up blankly at the sky, his mouth hanging open and blood dripping from it. Kakashi, Ino, and Chiho all started healing at once. Kakashi was rough, but he shoved his chakra inside Jin’s chest and diaphragm and pulled up as hard as he could, prying the bones upward and trying to give Jin’s lungs space to expand. But that wasn’t the problem, and having more space wasn’t going to help if his chest cavity was filled with air that crushed his lungs. One had fully collapsed, the other was close. Chiho and Ino started to fuse the ribs back together to make room for him to breathe again, but Kakashi knew he had to do something risky, and fast.

“You lost,” Neji said. He regretted it when he saw the look on Akurei’s face. She was terrified, her light gray eyes wide and fixated on her teammate. She could feel Jin’s chakra, his life force better than anyone else. She was shaking horribly as she pushed herself to her hands and knees and tried to crawl to her fallen teammate. To his worthless cousin. Neji hated him but he felt a pang of guilt when he watched Akurei. She collapsed a few times on her way to the other side of the field, leaving splotches of blood where she coughed. She was going to do more damage to her own lungs if she kept it up.

Guy, Lee and Tenten came over to Neji and helped him sit up. His head was swimming, his body still numb. Tenten started to heal him as he continued to watch Akurei crawling towards her teammate.

“Sensei, he’s still not breathing,” Ino said in a panicked voice. “I can’t feel a pulse-”

“Don’t touch him.” Kakashi snapped, pushing her arm away and shoving the cat. He readied his lightning in his hand and touched Jin’s chest. His body jerked slightly and twitched a few times. His pulse was stronger, his heartbeat racing, but his lungs couldn’t move to draw breath. “There’s air in his chest cavity. I need to get it out.” Kakashi said. Yuina appeared next to him, taking apart a pen. She suddenly set it on fire with her chakra, shook it out, and shoved it in Kakashi’s hand.

“Use this. Don’t miss. Ino, don’t freak out.” Yuina said, putting her arm around Ino’s shoulder and pulling her back a little. This was the first time Kakashi had seen her serious in a very long time. He readied the hollow pen above Jin’s chest. Only Yuina knew how dangerous this was. He could miss and pierce the lung further, or make things much worse. Using a pen was a good way to get an infection, but Yuina had tried to alleviate that concern. It was better than letting him die. Kakashi new there wasn’t enough time to get Jin to a hospital, and they’d be doing the same thing to him anyway.

He jammed it down hard, piercing, his skin breaking and bleeding. He could feel the air being released, hissing through the hollow pen, pushing droplets of blood out with force. Jin gasped, coughing a glob of blood out. He now had to get air in through lungs and a trachea full of blood. With his free hand Kakashi gripped Jin’s head against his chest, trying to make the passage straight and as easy as possibly for air to travel through. His other hand held the pen where it was as Jin convulsed and choked. Ino held her mouth shut with her hands, trying not to scream as she started crying.

The black cat dashed to where Akurei was crawling. She was watching everything, starting to panic herself.

_Kakashi has Jin, he’ll be fine, please stop, you’re hurting yourself. I know it looks bad but if he’s breathing then he’ll be fine,_

Chiho tried to calm her down, sparing whatever chakra he had left. Her legs were being dragged limply behind her, all of her weight balanced on two trembling arms. Chiho stood under her chin, rubbing it with his head and gently guiding her body down to the side. She finally relaxed enough for him to try to heal her. He pushed her shoulder with his tiny cat body until she took the hint and lied on her back.

When Kakashi was sure all of the air had been pushed out of Jin’s chest cavity from his coughing, he quickly removed the pen, tossed it and held his hand over the puncture wound, healing as quickly as he could. The pen fell to the ground, blood soaking up into the dirt around it. He wanted to lessen the possibility for infection, and sacrificed finesse for speed in his healing. But he knew his healing wasn’t great.

“Ino, I could use your healing now,” Kakashi said calmly. Shaking, Ino scooted closer to Jin. His convulsions had subsided, but he still struggled to breathe, coughing up blood. His eyes were glassy and looked at nothing. Ino put her trembling hands on his chest and let her water flow into him. She knew he was ok now, but she couldn’t shake off the feeling of dread. A few seconds ago Jin was close to death. If Kakashi and Yuina hadn’t acted fast, he might be. The notion haunted Ino’s every thought as she healed.

Kakashi sighed. He hadn’t killed his student. He was fairly sure he was going to. He glanced at Yuina, who was watching him with her eyes narrowed, interested. Her mismatched eyes were beautiful, and full of something he couldn’t identify. Their eyes met for an uncomfortably long time, Kakashi thought. Before either could break contact she stood up and walked away, no longer needed. With Ino’s help, Jin’s breathing was slowly returning to an acceptable pace. Not perfect, but it would take him a while longer to clear out his lungs once he was properly healed at the hospital. He needed oxygen and possibly more intervention he could only get there.

Kakashi took another deep breath, trying to calm himself down. His hands were shaking slightly. It had been a long time since something had him that worried.


	20. Sabotage

A day had passed and Jin was finally stable. The matches had concluded after Jin's brush with death and the next was scheduled to happen today. Chiho stood over Jin’s bed, his right arm wrapped up and in a sling. Akurei stood next to him, holding the black cat in her arms. Her healing had been much less complicated than Jin’s. He had an IV hooked up to his arm to deliver antibiotics to try to prevent any infection.

“I wanna watch the rest of the sparring,” Jin groaned, annoyed he was told to stay in bed.

“I agree. We should know how they fight, for next time.” Akurei said. Chiho paused, considering. She was right.

“Well I could go watch, since I seem to be the only one here capable of forming a rational plan, anyway.” Chiho said haughtily. Akurei cut her eyes at him. He spoke before she could open her mouth. “Self-destructing is not a rational plan.” She pursed her lips, knowing she didn’t really have an argument. Inabi’s chakra flickered with amusement. He liked watching Chiho win against Akurei.

“That isn’t necessary.” Kakashi stood in the doorway, leaning on the frame. “It doesn’t matter if you know your opponent if you can’t fight as a team.” He said with an air of boredom. But his words made Akurei bite the inside of her lip, Chiho’s gaze falling to the floor. Jin stared.

“But we didn’t have our whole team,” He retorted.

“You did, you just didn’t listen,” Kakashi said with a shrug. “I saw him trying to corral you two and fail. He may not have been able to fight, but he had an outside view of the entire field.” Kakashi said, pausing to look at each one of them. “Jin, you let your emotions dictate your actions and wasted nearly all of your chakra. That’s exactly what Neji wanted. Akurei, I don’t know why you thought you had to have a suicide mission. That was foolish, and left your teammate alone on the battle field against two opponents who had the upper hand and ability to strategize.”

“They had the upper hand since we started, though-” Akurei said defensively.

“They didn’t. You managed to even the playing field within the first few seconds of the fight. That was brilliant.” Kakashi said sincerely. “Do that more, trick you opponents, get under their skin. Don’t play to their strengths, play to your own.” He turned back to Jin, standing up straight and entering the room. “Having said that, Jin, what you did was incredible. You used your chakra long-range, and managed to use the gentle fist technique from across the field. I’m not sure you realize the magnitude of this; it’s never been done before. This was the whole point of the metal braces I’ve been having you use, but you exceeded my expectations.” Kakashi smiled. Jin was beaming from the praise.

“So we can’t go watch the rest of the matches…?” Akurei asked.

“As soon as Jin’s IV is finished, the three of you are training again,” Kakashi said, still grinning under his mask.

“Isn’t Konoha still in lock-down?” Chiho asked. “Where will we train?”

“You’ll still be going to the matches… but you won’t be watching. You’ll be ruining them.” All three of his students stared at him incredulously. Kakashi chuckled. “I’ll tell you who I want to win, and you make it happen. Understand? Good." The three teammates exchanged confused glances. "I’ll give you only two rules for this exercise.” Kakashi said. "The first rule: Yuina’s team will win their match. The second rule: if anyone detects you interfering before the match has ended, you lose. This includes the teachers.”

“Are you saying that they’ll know after?” Chiho asked. Kakashi smiled.

“I’d say that’s pretty unavoidable, don’t you think?” He chuckled. “Don’t worry, if anyone gets mad, you were following a direct order from your sensei.”

“How are we supposed to make sure someone wins without anyone knowing?!” Jin asked a little too forcefully his confusion palpable.

“That’s entirely up to you,” Kakashi said, the grin never once leaving his masked face. “Better get over there, though, I think your match has already started. Good luck!”

Chiho, Akurei, and Jin stood high above the training ground on the roof of a nearby building, just far enough away to not draw any attention. From this vantage point they could see everything.

“It looks like Team Yuina is against Team Kurenai.” Chiho muttered, leaning over the edge of the roof and staring down below.

“How are we supposed to do this…” Akurei said, furrowing her brows, a look of annoyance on her face. “Our options are limited. There’s a lot of people watching.” Chiho smirked this time.

“This is what our team was made for, Akurei,” He said smugly. “Kakashi-sensei just told us to play to our strengths. Jin, when you use byakugan, can you tell if someone is possessed by me?” He asked. Jin considered.

“Only if your chakra changes…” Jin said. Chiho paused to think.

“Akurei, we can’t use your chakra to infiltrate anyone unless we eliminate the byakugan and sharingan in this match. But we don’t need to take out Sasuke, we have to make sure his team wins…” Chiho mumbled to himself. Akurei was quiet as she listened. “Jin, I’m going to switch you and Hinata.” Chiho said. Jin’s eyes widened.

“Why me?!” He yelled.

“Keep your voice down. Because you know how to use the byakugan, that’s why. It’s going to be strange if she doesn’t use it in this match. And your eyes won’t change color. No one will be able to tell the difference, if you can keep your mouth shut and pretend to be shy.” Chiho said. Jin pouted. “Akurei, can you mimic someone else’s chakra pattern?” He asked.

“I have never tried to do that,” She said flatly. Chiho paused again.

“That’s alright. Kiba’s nose would be able to smell you, anyway. We’ll stick to using my technique this time and keep it simple. I want you to either infiltrate Shino or Sakura. Shino’s kekkei genkai might be difficult for you to try to control, however…” Chiho explained. He looked a little bit excited. “But he’s wearing sunglasses. I think it’s worth the risk. Bugs can’t be that difficult to outsmart.” Chiho smirked. “Ok, Jin. We need to do something so Hinata can’t escape.”

“Why do we have to switch? Why not just send us…” Akurei asked.

“You’ve never fought for control of someone else’s body. You’ll fail. Akurei, I need you to paralyze Jin. Too bad none of us have the earth element… then you could paralyze yourself…” He mumbled again. “No matter. I have a different idea. Go ahead, then.” Akurei looked at Jin apologetically as Chiho sat down on the edge of the rooftop, facing the arena.

“Wait! What am I supposed to do as Hinata?!” Jin blurted. Both of his teammates stared at him blankly.

“Seriously?” Chiho whispered under his breath. “You pretend to be her, and make sure you don’t win. Make some convincing mistakes. She’s your sister, you should know how she fights, how she acts, what her weaknesses are.” Even as Chiho said it, he was sure Jin hadn’t paid much attention to anything that wasn’t immediately obvious. He sighed. “I’ll be telling you what to do. Just do what I say.” Jin looked nervous but accepted Chiho’s answer. Akurei turned to him.

“Sorry, Jin. Blame this on Chiho,” She said, getting her chakra ready at his tenketsu. With a single bolt of electricity Jin fell to the ground, twitching. Akurei shoved her lightning into his system as forcefully as she could, not trying to be gentle. Jin would have shouted in pain if his voice worked.

Chiho focused his chakra and aimed at Hinata. It would be hard for him to hit a moving target, and from so far away. Hinata was currently fighting Sasuke, and was mostly on the defensive. She had skill but had no confidence in it, and it showed in her fighting. Chiho watched her get pushed back slowly as she dodged and blocked, predicted where she would be if this pattern kept up, and reached for Jin. He switched them as fast as he could, burning through more chakra than his technique would normally take.

As soon as he was sure it worked, he turned to Jin’s body and with a single hand seal put him under a genjutsu. Akurei watched, impressed. Inabi’s chakra was flicking enthusiastically. Hinata would hopefully never know that she had been swapped with her brother.

On the battle field, Hinata took a direct hit, a kick to the side of her face. She fell over, stunned. Jin hadn’t had a second to prepare for the attack, hadn’t even gotten aware of his surroundings. He jumped up from his back to his feet in an instant, a little too fast for Hinata, shaking off the hit like Jin always did. Chiho sighed.

_Try to recover a little slower next time, nothing flashy like that. Slow down, stay on the defensive. Use your byakugan and gentle fist, Sasuke can handle it. But use small attacks._

“Akurei...” Chiho started, his eyes still on Hinata. “What might Shino see if I switched you two?” Akurei stared at him with wide eyes.

“Nothing,” She blurted.

“As someone who has been...” Chiho started again, but trailed off. It was difficult to focus on keeping Hinata unaware of her surroundings, keeping Jin in line and talking to Akurei. “Forget it, I will manage. Sit here.” He motioned to his left side. Akurei hesitantly sat down, eyeing him. “Lie down, put your head next to me.” He commanded. Akurei was getting visibly annoyed at his commands, but said nothing and lied down. He felt an interested flicker from the fire as he put his hand on Akurei's head. He'd have to work much harder to ensure that whatever was going on in her head wouldn't become a problem. “I'll switch you now. Kiba and Naruto are fighting. Shino is… I honestly have no idea what he’s doing. No one ever does. That’s good for us. Even if you can’t get his bugs to obey, you can just do anything, I guess.” Chiho mumbled, hoping his thoughts were coherent enough through all of the different things he was balancing.

Akurei blinked, and she was looking through sunglasses at the pink-haired girl, Sakura. She tried not to jump at the feeling of bugs all over her skin. Her arms instinctively jerked closer to her torso defensively. The crawling sensation was everywhere, on every inch of her body, it felt like it was under her very skin, squirming and wriggling. Akurei tried to remain calm; someone watching might be able to sense her sudden terror and get suspicious. She took some deep breaths, hoping the disgusting feeling would subside, but it didn’t. The bugs never stopped moving.

Akurei glanced around the battle field. Kiba and the blonde boy were loud, yelling wordlessly as they fought with clones. Hinata was dodging Sasuke’s attacks, occasionally attacking with the Hyuuga technique. But Sasuke was much faster, and Jin was trying to slow down and get hit as often as was believable. He was doing a decent job, even though it was obvious to Akurei how frustrated he was getting having to hold back.

_Jin, watch your expression, you look too angry. Akurei, you ok?_

Bugs. Crawling on her skin, under her skin. How did Shino deal with this every second of every day? Akurei tried to see what the bugs could do. There must be some kind of pay-off for having to deal with something so insanely distracting. She could feel the bugs were eating Shino’s chakra as they swarmed and crawled all over his body. Did they go where he sent his chakra? Akurei decided to find out.

From his vantage point, Chiho watched as Shino lifted his arms, bugs spilling from his sleeves. They swarmed around him. Chiho was glad that not much of Shino’s face was revealed. He was sure his face would be grinning widely. Even Chiho couldn't help but be impressed.

_You picked that up fast,_

Chiho felt the fire grow restless. There was definitely something left behind even when he sent her consciousness to another body. If this didn't backfire horribly, he would have to be firmer in demanding to know everything. He felt a longing, a deep desire for the fire to be released. It was so intense it was almost mournful. But he had to concentrate, and keep pushing both the fire and Shino down deeper. He'd have to think about it later; he was using too many jutsus right now to risk them all falling apart.

Shino had his bugs everywhere, attacking Sakura and feeding off her chakra. She screamed, not knowing what to do. Sasuke was using his fire technique to burn as many of them as he could, but they came from nowhere and replenished themselves. Naruto and Kiba were still fighting with clones, yelling while their punches connected and getting themselves more worked up. Hinata was on the ground, struggling to get to her feet. She had let Sasuke get a lot of hits in and was wearing down. It was this moment that Chiho realized neither of these teams was working together. They were fighting near each other, not with each other.

Shino was laughing maniacally as he controlled the bugs flawlessly, using them to block kunai thrown by Sakura and ignoring the fire jutsu of Sasuke by replacing the bugs constantly.

_Akurei, calm down with the bugs. Let them think you’re running out. And try not to look so crazy._

Shino fell silent and let the bugs slowly thin out. Akurei knew she had gotten carried away. It was almost intoxicating, having such perfect control over something alive. Instead of just aiming her chakra, she was aiming a swarm of insects. She had almost forgotten that they were coming from inside her body. For a moment she was envious of Shino.

Suddenly Sasuke appeared behind Shino, a kunai at his throat.

“Call your bugs back. Release Sakura.” He commanded in a deep voice. Shino pulled his chakra back, and the bugs left Sakura alone. There was a sharp pain in the back of Shino’s head, then his face. He hit the ground hard, disoriented. He rolled to his side as Sasuke’s leg swung down and hit the dirt, barely missing his head again. Shino jumped to his feet, immediately blocking a barrage of attacks. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Sakura throwing kunai. They hit their target, which melted into a pile of bugs on the ground.

Chiho's jaw dropped. How the hell did she learn to do that so quickly? He could only watch in awe. She was making it extremely convincing.

Shino was suddenly behind Sakura, leg raised and ready to strike. Sasuke shoved her to the side and blocked the attack. The two were locked in combat, a flurry of striking limbs. Suddenly one of the blonde boy’s clones was behind Shino. He almost instinctively dodged, but forced himself to stay wide open as a fist slammed into the back of his head. His forehead hit the ground again.

_Good, Akurei. Maybe a concussion will be enough for Shino to think he had some memory loss…_

Chiho was immensely pleased. His plan was working flawlessly, even better than he had hoped. At this rate no one would find out what they had done, even when it was all over. He couldn’t help but feel smug.

_Chiho! What the hell are you doing?!_

Ino’s voice. Chiho’s blood ran cold. She could ruin their entire mission.

_Ino, I know it looks bad. Just don’t say anything, please. I’ll explain later. And owe you a gigantic favor._

He pleaded, hoping this would be enough to keep her from exposing them. He could sense a bit of intrigue from her. Luckily his cousin wasn’t one who followed the rules. She wanted to see what they were doing, but more importantly she wanted that favor.

_Fine. But Kurenai-sensei looks suspicious. I’d get Jin out, now. He isn’t a very convincing Hinata._

Chiho thought about what would happen if Hinata were to return to her body. She’d be confused and disoriented, but it would lower their odds of success if she were compromised. Ino was right, though. Kurenai knew her students. At least Akurei was able to wield the bugs almost normally, but Jin’s style was totally opposite of Hinata’s, even when he was trying his best to imitate her. Chiho readied himself for Jin’s extraction.

_Jin, try for one more attack. If Sasuke takes a head shot, let it connect. I’m going to bring you back soon._

Chiho watched as Hinata charged at Sasuke again, her chakra glowing in her hands. She picked up the pace in her attacks. Sasuke dodged, having to work a lot harder to keep up. Shino turned his attention to Sasuke, leaving an opening for Sakura.

Chiho’s idea worked. Hinata failed to dodge another direct kick to her head and went flying. While she lay stunned on the ground, Chiho grabbed Jin and pulled him back, releasing his jutsu on the two Hyuuga. Hinata blinked a few times, in a total daze as she looked around the battlefield in shock.

_Akurei, Hinata is back. Remember she will be able to see your chakra, so don’t do anything reckless._

Shino pretended to not notice Sakura’s kunai, and dodged a second too late. One jammed into his leg, another grazing his arm and leaving a gash. Sasuke noticed, and smirked, going on the offensive. Shino grabbed the handle of the kunai and ripped it out of his leg as he dodged Sasuke’s attacks.

Jin pushed himself to his hands and knees, his body still shaky from Akurei’s lightning. He painstakingly crawled over to the other side of Chiho and lied down, his head on Chiho’s leg. At first Chiho had the urge to shove him off, but when he felt how badly Jin was trembling he refrained. Jin was probably just lucky his uncooperative body hadn't fallen off the edge of the roof.

Shino was slowing down way too fast, his stance becoming droopy and worryingly inept. He stumbled, looking almost drunk he had become so uncoordinated. To Chiho’s surprise, Sasuke stopped attacking and changed his target to Hinata. Before she could even realize where she was or what was happening, she was having to fight off Sasuke.

Sakura twirled a kunai around her finger. Shino fell to the ground and lie motionless. Sakura followed Sasuke to his target, leaving an immobile Shino on the ground.

_Akurei, what’s wrong?_

Chiho asked, reading her thoughts.

_…poison, it’s poison, bring me back, I can’t move…_

He pulled Akurei back in and released his jutsu. If Shino was confused, he was at least unable to show it. Akurei sat up, staring at Chiho with her stormy gray eyes.

“That felt awful. Why do we have to feel the pain of who we’re possessing?” She moaned.

“Yeah, getting kicked in the head that many times sucked.” Jin whined in agreement. The fire was gone now, replaced with lightning.

“Akurei, you said that was poison? It’s good we know this now. From the looks of it, it seemed to be a paralytic.” Chiho said.

“We should steal some,” Akurei said, a mischievous smile spreading to the corners of her lips. Chiho started to protest but stopped himself. It wasn’t a bad idea, except for one problem. It wasn’t very practical; none of them had any knowledge of poison whatsoever. If she had multiple poisons they wouldn’t know which one had what effect, or what an appropriate dose was. They also wouldn’t have an antidote. The more he thought about it the less he liked it. If Akurei ever tried to follow through with this idea he would have to discourage it.

The three watched the match from the rooftops, hoping they had done enough to sabotage two out of the three members of Team Kurenai. Both teams were tired, but Team Kurenai was definitely at a huge disadvantage now. Hinata was on the defensive and looked incredibly dizzy. Kiba and Naruto had beaten each other to bloody pulps, but neither was ready to back down. Sasuke and Sakura weren’t injured much, but their chakra was running low. Once they took out Hinata, Kiba and his dog didn’t stand a chance. Shino’s bugs had helped deplete his teammates’ chakra substantially. Chiho leaned back on his left hand, filling with pride as Sakura and Sasuke teamed up against Hinata. Sakura held a poisoned kunai in each hand instead of bare fists.

Chiho leaned back even farther, until he was lying on his back. He never realized how much his techniques took out of him until he had stopped using them. When Jin had recovered, he might have to help him back. Chiho knew he wouldn’t mind.


	21. Inner Turmoil

Kakashi couldn’t have been more proud. Team Yuina had won their match, of course. But no one had ever figured out what his team had done. That was the most impressive part. Kakashi had expected to have to do some explaining to the other teams, at the very least. Even Shino and Hinata hadn’t spoken up about having some memory loss in their fight. No one suspected a thing. As a reward, he had given his students the rest of the day off. Chiho desperately needed it.

Kakashi strolled through the outskirts of town, near the tree line. He wasn’t on official patrol, but wanted to be accessible if either the ANBU or his students needed him. And he had one other goal.

He saw the back of her head, that messy black hair just short enough that the nape of her neck was visible. She was sitting on a tree stump, her back to Kakashi, talking to Goro. The red fabric of her forehead protector was tied loosely around her neck. Her arms were covered in scars, more than was normal even for a shinobi. He couldn't see her forearms as they were hidden by black fabric and taijutsu bands, but every inch of her upper arms were covered in hundreds of white slashes, some old and faded, some newer and raised. Kakashi stared; she didn't often reveal them. Goro was wearing his forehead protector too, tied around his neck. His matching red fabric contrasted with his black fur. Yuina wasn’t wearing her jounin flak jacket today, but rather a black, sleeveless skin-tight shirt with a gray vest, her forearms covered by black sleeves and metal arm guards. She looked over her shoulder at him, her face concealed by a white wolf mask. Kakashi hadn’t seen her dressed like this in years.

“Kakashi,” She purred, her voice echoing slightly behind the mask. “What brings you here?”

“I never got to thank you for saving my student the other day,” He said. She chuckled.

“All I did was hand you a pen. Is that really why you came all the way out here?” He couldn’t see her face, but he knew her playful expression by now. “Did you come to give me my pen back?” She teased.

“No, that would be weird.” Kakashi said flatly. “Are you working with the ANBU today?” Kakashi asked. He hadn’t known they were taking the teachers from their groups for the current situation.

“I have the best nose for tracking-” Goro’s deep voice rumbled.

“Mine’s second-best,” Yuina interjected, standing up quickly.

“…And we’ve already got the scent of the one who attacked your students.” Goro finished, completely ignoring his partner. Yuina’s face was concealed, but Kakashi sensed a sort of excited energy from her as she approached him.

“It’s a shame we aren’t a team anymore, Kakashi. I’m worried that you miss me.” She said.

“How could I not? If I didn’t, you’d be sure to remind me.” He chuckled, breaking his bored expression. She had gotten rather confident, something that had drawn his attention a lot lately. He humorously wondered if he'd ever miss the old, silent Yuina. Before either could say anything else, two men in ANBU uniforms and white animal masks appeared behind them, a bear and a hawk. Yuina turned, clearly disappointed by the interruption.

“Looks like I’ve got to go. See you later, Kakashi,” She said, turning her back to him. The four vanished without a sound. Kakashi stayed where he was, staring into the forest for a few minutes before continuing his self-assigned patrol.

“Why are you following me?” Akurei shot Chiho a nasty glare. Chiho was struggling to match her pace as they walked through the streets of Konoha. He was exhausted, having been the only one of his teammates even go near their limit today.

“I'm getting my cat.” Chiho stated. Akurei groaned in frustration. He wasn't even trying to conceal his lie. She didn't know what to do to get him to go away. She could fight him here in the streets and cause a scene, or she could wait until they were closer to her house where no one around and attack him. Neither of those options sounded appealing, shockingly. He had done a good job today and pretty much single-handedly completed their mission for the whole team. Just like with the hawk. Akurei wasn't sure if she was impressed or pissed off about that.

Suddenly there was a tug in Akurei's chest. It felt like tripping, only she hadn't tripped over anything. She just suddenly hit the ground hard, unable to break her fall. When she pushed herself up she was standing in front of Inabi's red gates. He glared down at her with furious red eyes.

“Hello, Akurei.” He narrowed his eyes as his mouth pinched into a disgusted frown.

“What the hell, why'd you do that?” Akurei stood, shaking off the disoriented feeling. Suddenly something grabbed her wrist and jerked her closer.

“Let me see him,” Inabi said, his frown twisting into a slight grin. He reached out from between the bars are grabbed her jaw, holding her face close to his.

“You can't call me here! Stop it!” She shouted and slapped his hand away. She squeezed her eyes shut and forced herself back out. When she opened her eyes she was on the ground and Chiho was kneeling down next to her, his expression a mix of concern and curiosity. He tried to help her up but she grumpily shoved him away and got to her feet. She continued to trudge towards her house, her head a flurry of anxiety. Chiho continued to follow.

A few more minutes of silently walking together and they were nearing her house. It had been a while since anyone was in sight. Akurei fought the urge to yell at Chiho to fuck off, fearing Inabi’s reaction. He was watching.

As they approached the house she couldn’t take it anymore. Did he think she would just let him in and tell him everything? She blinked and everything was dark again. She felt something pull her to the ground again, and again was unable to break her fall. Before she could shout, something grabbed her around the waist and jerked her up into the air. She hung there, Inabi’s face close to hers once more.

“I said. Let me see him.” Akurei tried to grab at him but something grabbed her wrists, then her legs, holding her as still as possible. She tried to thrash and kick but to no avail.

“Fuck you, Inabi!” She snarled at him. In a second she felt something solid slam into her chest. She was being pushed against the ground, her limbs still held by Inabi’s dark red arms of chakra. She was still stunned when she was jerked back up, her body slamming into the bars. He held her against them tightly, pulling harder than she could fight.

“I don’t think you’re quite understanding,” He said, his face so close to hers she could feel his breath. “I’m not asking.” He slammed her against the ground again, this time on her back. She yelled out in pain. Despite knowing this wasn’t her real body, it still hurt. She could feel his anger through his chakra, and underneath it all was desperation. He knew this was his best chance of being free, and he didn’t care what happened to her.

“Fine, just let me go-”

“I know when you’re lying, Akurei.” He yelled. Her insides jumped; he rarely got this heated. Another whip of chakra wrapped itself around her neck. The ones around her limbs let go as he lifted her up high by the throat. She knew she wasn’t really choking, but the sensation was there. “I can keep you here as long as I want. Don’t forget that.” He slammed her into the ground again and lifted her back up, her legs kicking and hands trying feebly to grab something that wasn’t there. “I won’t let you sleep. I’ll make you _beg_ him,” He shouted. His blood red eyes never left her terrified face. Usually he would have been happy to watch her fear him, but not right now. Now he had a purpose, and he was going to get what he wanted.

In her panic Akurei somehow managed to reach her own chakra and shove it at him. She felt the sensation of falling and hit the ground again. Her eyes flew open and she was on the floor in her living room, her legs up in the air and feet still on the couch. Chiho sat next to her, his look of concern intensifying. She looked around, eyes wide and breathing heavily. She didn’t remember coming inside.

“Door was open…” Chiho said softly. “Akurei, are you ok?” He asked. Her eyes locked with his. He had never seen her this scared before. Well, not since his arm was almost hacked off. So it hadn’t really been that long.

She didn’t respond. Her eyes went out of focus again and she went limp. Chiho sighed. He got down and picked her up off the floor, putting her back on the couch. He sat on the edge of the bed this time, against her arm. If she woke up violently again at least he could prevent her from thrashing off the edge of the couch.

He watched her face. It was slack, but her eyes moved rapidly behind her eyelids. Every now and then she would flinch or twitch, her body tensing defensively. It didn’t look like any form of epilepsy, although he had never seen the symptoms himself. It looked more like she was having a nightmare.

Her spasms were even worse this time. Every now and then he had to grab her arm and hold it down next to her for a few seconds before she phased out again. He knew he had promised not to invade her privacy, but he had to. He wasn’t getting any answers this way, and at this rate she would seriously hurt herself. He prepared his chakra around him closely, not knowing what to expect, and leaned back against her body. She was pinned between his back and the couch. At least he could keep her still that way.

When he opened his eyes the sight before him made his blood run cold. There was a gigantic cage with tall red bars so bright they were almost glowing. The dark space was completely full of countless furious, thrashing chakra tendrils that spilled out from between the bars. There was a man behind the bars, but his attention was on Akurei. She was being held up by the throat by one of the chakra arms.

Suddenly Akurei dropped to the ground and every single one of the blood-red chakra arms whipped contentedly through the air like cat tails.

“Chiho… So good to finally meet you,” The man’s deep voice purred as Chiho approached them. He glanced down at Akurei to make sure she was ok. She looked up at him with sheer terror; he had been expecting violent anger. Instead she just looked small and broken. Her eyes were wet with tears and she didn’t say a word. “I was expecting this to be more… difficult. But you came to me,” The man was gripping the red bars tightly, not hiding his excitement whatsoever.

Chiho kept approaching until he was standing next to Akurei. She hadn’t tried to get up off the ground. Suddenly one of the red whips wandered too close to him, almost intentionally, as if testing him. The end of it immediately dissipated when it got near him and touched an invisible barrier that rippled around him. The man frowned and quickly pulled it back. Chiho was glad he had prepared, and extremely relieved that the only element threatening him now was the one weakest to his.

Akurei scooted closer to his feet when one of the fire tendrils flicked towards her leg. Inabi didn’t make the same mistake again and stayed tauntingly close yet out of reach. Chiho stared down the man and tried not to show how intimidating those sharingan were.

“Akurei and I were just… talking.” He smirked, anticipating Chiho’s concerns. “She can be _so_ difficult. I’m sure you already know,” He chuckled. Chiho focused on his own water chakra, making sure it was a strong force field encompassing both himself and Akurei in case the man tried anything. He worked on staying as calm as possible. The tension and fear within her mind was not something he could fix right now, and he didn’t try.

“Akurei, who is this?” Chiho asked. Akurei looked startled to be addressed. The man spoke before she could, his smile fading.

“Uchiha Inabi.” He said. “And don’t worry, I already know all about you, Chiho.” His voice was smooth and confident, doing a good job of hiding his annoyance of not being addressed directly.

Chiho recognized Inabi’s name, although he had never seen the man before. He had once been the head of Konoha’s Police Force. Chiho was trying to stay calm while he considered every rational reason why Akurei would have a separate personality in her mind based on a real person. Trauma and PTSD from the night of the massacre? That and dissociation was still at the front of his mind. Yet everything he thought of could not explain how his uncle had never figured it out.

“Tell me what you’re doing here, Inabi.” Chiho said calmly.

“Has Akurei never mentioned me?” He glanced down at her with mock surprise. “I thought we were friends,” His chakra was slowly closing in around them. Akurei was visibly agitated. Inabi slowly turned his gaze back to Chiho. “She told me that she agrees to have you... release me.” He said, ignoring Chiho's inquiry. “Right, Akurei?” He didn't break eye contact with Chiho as he spoke to her.

“Yes...” Akurei whispered. She hadn't moved from her spot on the ground next to Chiho's feet. It was getting harder for him to hide how uncomfortable he was.

“You didn't answer me. Why are you even here in the first place, Inabi?”

“Well it certainly wasn't by choice. Tell me, Yamanaka. What do you think?” Inabi said. Chiho took a moment to consider. There was no easy way to explain any of his current thoughts. He didn't want her to hurt herself again; watching her fight herself in her head was alarming. He had never thought something like this was possible.

“I wouldn't claim to understand. But I want to help you two get along.” Chiho said.

“Are you blind? Do you not see these bars?” He scoffed. Chiho could feel the guilt radiating from Akurei. Chiho was still trying to make sense of why they were even there. He'd never seen a mind like hers before. Whatever Inabi represented to her she could have been desperately trying to repress.

“Yes, and I don't know what they mean. Why have you never surfaced before the other day? Are you trapped?” Chiho asked.

“Finally he gets it,” Inabi muttered angrily.

“I can feel you two at odds almost constantly. Maybe if you were nicer to Akurei, she'd be more inclined to help you.” Chiho said firmly. He had to establish now that he was not going to fear or be pushed around by Inabi.

“He can be...” Akurei said softly. She was slowly calming down now that Inabi wasn't enraged.

“Not currently hurting you and being nice are two different things.” Chiho stated. Akurei looked up at him. “You have to learn to be a team.” Inabi let out a deep laugh.

“Maybe we should put her in here instead, so we both understand each other's... perspective. Teams are fair, right?” Inabi smirked. Chiho paused to think. He didn't know how to talk his way out of this. If Inabi was a part of Akurei, how could he help her come to terms with it? Had his uncle never helped her move past her trauma? The more he thought about it the stranger it became. For years she had been sent to Inoichi, an interrogator. She should have been talking to his cousin Sayuri, who had written books about helping shinobi with PTSD. “What kind of team has one prisoner and one warden? Doesn't sound right to me,”

“I don't _want_ you to be a prisoner!” Akurei said, her voice high and filled with lament. Inabi looked down at her with a slight smile, his chakra no longer agitated. It flowed gracefully through the air, composed and confident.

“Then let me out,” His red eyes were locked with hers. “And we'll be equals.” Chiho considered his proposition. Did he really want both of them to have equal control? Would doing that force Akurei to deal with her trauma, or would it make things worse? If she was aware and able to see him locked up, if he were to be released, would they become one person? The thoughts fascinated Chiho.

“I already let you out once, but you're still in that cage. Why?” Chiho asked.

“I don't know. You have to get rid of the cage.” Inabi shrugged.

“I'm not sure that's something I can do. That might be between you two.” Chiho said, examining the bright red bars again. He took a few steps closer and felt Inabi's excitement grow. The happier Inabi seemed, the more relaxed Akurei became. Maybe this wasn't a bad idea after all. “I can't guarantee it will even work while Akurei is awake... but we can try.” Chiho held out his hand. Inabi's red eyes flashed with elated anticipation.

Inabi grabbed his hand immediately. Chiho was not ready for the sheer force of the chakra that hit him like a wall. He didn't even pull Inabi out like last time, instead he almost pushed his way through. In that second he completely lost track of Akurei and felt something hard hit him in the chest that knocked the wind out of him.

Chiho's eyes flew open. He was back in Akurei's house, his face against the cold wooden floor and something heavy on his back. Akurei sat on top of him, her forearm pressed against his upper back. He felt her breath on the back of his neck.

“Thank you, Chiho,” She chuckled. The fire chakra was just as heavy here as it had been in her mind, only now he couldn't see it. She stood and walked towards the door. Chiho jumped to his feet.

“Where are you going?!” He asked. Akurei turned to face him, her eyes the red of the sharingan. The tomoe twitched slightly as she stared him down. “I want to talk.” He should have planned for her to run. He cursed himself for not anticipating this. The creepy smile on her face sent shivers up his spine.

“No thanks. I'd like to go enjoy my freedom now.” She let out a slow, deep laugh, her red eyes terrifying and piercing through him like knives. She looked like she was prepared to kill anything that stood between her and the exit. “I wonder if Akemi is still running that brothel... and if the psycho chick is still there,” She cackled. “She was my favorite.” Chiho's jaw dropped. How did Akurei know about his cousin? As far as he knew, it wasn't very common knowledge.

“Stay, or I'll put you right back.” Chiho threatened. Her expression may have been intimidating, but her body wasn't. Her smile vanished. Chiho hit the ground for the second time, this time his back slamming into it. Akurei sat on top of his pelvis, clutching both of his wrists up near his head and against the floor. His right wrist felt a numb shock through his hand as she squeezed it.

“You won't.” Akurei hissed, leaning her face down close to his. Her lips brushed against his ear as she whispered. “I am much stronger than you... But I'd _love_ for you to try.” The feel of her hot breath made him shudder. She made an almost inaudible gasp, but her mouth was so close to his ear that he heard it. She leaned back slightly and locked eyes with him. Her expression made Chiho hesitate. She no longer looked like she was ready to bolt, nor like she was itching to fight. Her eyes were wide and confused.

Chiho understood even before Inabi did. He took advantage of her pause and with one push had flipped them over. He pinned her down with his own body weight, her legs on either side of him and useless in the air. Inabi felt like his heart had skipped a beat; he didn't know why he had stopped and given Chiho such a large window of opportunity. Her body was so small now that it was beneath a regular sized human, Inabi thought crossly. That had to be it.

Even though he could have fought, he could have thrown Chiho off him easily, he found that he couldn't move. Chiho wasn't even using both hands; all his weight was on his left. He was so off-balance it would have required next to no effort to get away. But instead Inabi felt a pain so deep in his chest that he thought Akurei's body was giving out.

Chiho didn't need to do anything. He felt Inabi's anguish and the way Akurei's hands trembled and felt pity.

Inabi hadn't been this close to another person in six years. Six years of being a ghost, dead to the world. Six long years of not being real, of not feeling the touch of another person against his skin, against his body. In Akurei's mind touching was only a concept. He had forgotten how it felt to have the weight of a person on him, the intensity of eye contact, the rush of intimacy and terrifying vulnerability.

Chiho leaned closer as Akurei's body froze, her eyes filling with tears. He brought his face close to her neck and she instinctively bared it to him. He pressed his lips lightly against her skin and she let out a soft whimper as she felt a tight, hot clenching in her gut. Her face was against his neck and his scent made Inabi forget where he was.

Chiho felt Akurei's lungs spasm against his chest as she breathed in quick, strained gulps. Her entire body was shaking now. Chiho slid his right arm underneath the arch in her back and pressed her body against his as he got up. She clung to him and he carried her to the couch. He tried to set her down gently, but she didn't let go. He let himself fall on top of her, his weight immobilizing her between himself and the couch, as she broke down and sobbed.

She buried her face into Chiho's shoulder in a futile attempt to muffle her cries. Inabi couldn't control Akurei's limbs anymore, he just let himself sink down into the couch, defenseless.


	22. Disconnect

Kakashi walked lazily through the forest on the outskirts of town. It was early, the sky still a light shade of orange. He always told his team to meet in the same place, and far too early. He hadn't once been on time, something they didn't bother to point out anymore. Today would be the first day. He wouldn't tell them it was because he was utterly unable to sleep with all the worried thoughts running through his head.

It had been a few months since someone nearly cut off Chiho's hand and Jin's lungs collapsed. Luckily nothing life-threatening had happened to the last member of his team, he thought with a sigh. But since around then something had changed in his sister. She stared into space a lot now and sometimes it was difficult to get her to respond. At least she hadn't had any more incidents with her temper where her fire chakra felt out of control. In fact, she hadn't used it at all lately.

All three of them hadn't been acting right for some time now. Along with Akurei's indifference to everything around her, his Yamanaka student always seemed to be on edge. Chiho watched Akurei like a hawk. She hardly noticed, but Kakashi did. Their Hyuuga companion was an interesting case. Kakashi hypothesized that Jin was more of an empath than he looked and was picking up on his teammate's moods, because even he was less energetic and optimistic than he was before.

Kakashi was so tired and deep in thought that he didn't sense someone approach. He looked up; he hadn't even realized he had been staring at the ground as he walked. Yuina stood before him, one hand on her hip and a devious grin on her face. Her short black hair was a mess as usual and almost concealed her mismatched eyes, one an icy blue and the other a striking shade of yellow that he now knew had been damaged somehow. He had been so close to her face lately that he could see the pupil was misshapen.

“If I didn't know any better I'd say you've been stalking me,” Kakashi said, causing Yuina's grin to widen. She walked towards him and Kakashi's eyes wandered down her body. She was wearing the same Jounin flack jacket as him, only hers was unzipped. She wore only a thin mesh shirt underneath that accented her large breasts, her nipples poking through the fabric. Of course she had planned on running into him. He would have rolled his eyes if it hadn't had the exact effect on him that she intended.

“Another happy coincidence,” She purred and stopped before him, close enough to touch. But she wouldn't. No, she would tease him until he closed the gap between them, as she always did.

“Look, I simply don't have the time today,” Kakashi said with a whimsical sigh. “I'm about to be on time for the very first time ever.” Yuina laughed.

“Why start now?” She took a tiny step towards him. She was shorter than him and the closer she got, the better the view became. It was like her shirt was barely hanging on, and now that he was at an optimal angle he saw just how low-cut it was.

Kakashi already knew the outcome of their standoff. It had been happening more and more lately; Yuina would find him when he was alone and trick him into removing his clothes. He was totally helpless to her spell. He had no idea why she had become so assertive lately, but he wasn't complaining.

“You're right, it would only set an unreasonable precedence.” He shrugged, taking a step towards her. She grinned and took a step backwards, staring up at him coyly. He didn't stop; he knew her games by now. He closed the space between them swiftly, pushing her off-balance as she backed up against a tree. He pressed his body against hers and pulled his mask down. Her eyes widened in anticipation, her arms sliding up his waist. He held her face with one hand, his other wandering lower to her breast. He rubbed his thumb around her nipple and as she opened her mouth to gasp he pressed their lips together, his tongue entering her mouth.

She kissed him back, leaning into him but he pushed back even harder and pinned her against the tree. She inhaled sharply through her nose as his tongue found the row of metal piercings in hers. There was one through the center two smaller ones near the tip. Somehow he had never actually seen them, but now that he knew they were there it was always on his mind whenever she'd smile at him from across the room during meetings. She seemed to revel in how much she could distract him in public. When they were alone he made sure to let her know exactly how much.

She made a soft moan into his mouth as he played with her breasts, trying to wiggle away from his grip. He tightened his grasp on her face and kept her in place between his body and the tree. Her hands slid under his shirt and he felt her bare hands on his skin, her nails gently grazing his skin as she pulled him against her. It gave him goosebumps; her claws were always far too sharp, a trait of her Inuzuka family. He had to be careful that she didn't cut him too much with either her claws or her sharp fangs, but it was a risk he was willing to take.

Yuina's hands pushed gently against Kakashi's abdomen and he loosened his grip, letting her put space between them but not fully releasing her. Her hands wandered down lower and she started to unbutton his pants. He took a small step back as she slowly lowered herself onto her knees, her mismatched eyes not leaving his. She stared up at him with a devious grin that showed her sharp canines. Kakashi's breath caught in his chest when she pulled out his hard dick and licked the tip, not breaking eye contact the whole time. He felt his knees get weak when she slowly slid the whole thing into her mouth.

He felt the small balls of metal in her tongue against the underside of his cock and let out a soft moan. He could tell this pleased her, for she hummed contentedly, a soft and deep sound he could barely hear but he felt it.

He put his hand on her head and grabbed a fistful her untamed black hair, something else he had come to find that she liked. She ran one hand up the back of his thigh, the other gripping his dick and sliding alongside her lips up and down the shaft, making sure to get all the way to the base with. His mind was blank; her mouth was all he could think about.

When he felt himself close to losing control he pulled her hair back and held her head still. She grinned up at him, the tip of his cock still in her mouth. She was pulling slightly against his grip, trying to get more of his cock back in her mouth. Usually by now she would be bent over something, but today she didn't seem to want that. Kakashi was slightly relieved for that, since they were in such an open space and his students weren't far.

He loosened his grip on her hair and she went back to sucking, almost purring with contentment as if she had won some unspoken stand-off. Kakashi's knees felt weak again and he reached his free arm out to steady him against the tree that was directly behind Yuina. With the way she used her tongue and the metal attached to it he didn't last much longer.

Yuina knew he was at her mercy. There was some kind of strange emotion she felt when sucking him off, like a euphoric satisfaction. Being in control of his orgasm was a new concept for her. She had never once been allowed that much power, even when using her mouth. Tied up and on her back, him having the choice of how hard to thrust into her throat, that was a familiar concept. But Kakashi was different. He didn't tell her what to do. Sometimes she wished he would. But he could always keep up with whatever pace she wanted to set and never pushed beyond where he thought the line was.

She felt his cock twitch and his legs tense up and swallowed every last drop of the thick hot liquid. She looked up at him from on her knees; his one revealed eye was completely unfocused and most of his weight was being supported by the tree behind her. She liked watching what she could do to him. It wasn't like before, where ultimately he was the one who decided when he was finished. No, Kakashi wasn't him.

After a few moments he had recovered. Yuina stood, sliding her hands up his chest. He leaned in again, pinning her against the tree once more.

“You have somewhere to be?” He said jokingly as his hands roamed down her waist.

“I like to be on time to train, unlike some people.” Yuina said with a laugh and gently pushed out of his grip. She winked and turned to head for the forest. Kakashi watched her backside until she disappeared out of sight. He sighed, incredibly amused. She certainly was an interesting creature, and he couldn't help but be enthralled.

Yuina didn't know why she had fallen for someone like Kakashi. He was nothing like him, the one who had made her feel safe yet insane, stable yet completely out of control. She craved that rush he provided more than she wanted to admit.

Sometimes Kakashi smelled like the Yamanaka kid, which always got her riled up. It brought back infuriating memories and made her want to hunt down that sinister man and kill him like she should have six years ago. The one who had ruined everything and took him from her. That fucking Yamanaka. But Goro would never allow that and she knew better than to try.

“There you are,” She said cheerfully as the massive black wolf stalked from the shadows and met her pace, walking next to her and slightly ahead. He huffed loudly as they continued walking.

“You should slow the fuck down and keep this one.” Goro cut his eyes at his companion. “I don't know how you tricked someone so good into liking you.” He grumbled.

“Me neither,” Yuina laughed.

“Yuusuke and Mayu are teaching Sakura today. I suggest you give the boys a challenge and..” Goro's deep voice became an unintelligible droning in her ears as her mind wandered. Why did she always have to go back to those memories? Kakashi was good. Perfect, even. He was kind to her, even when she was a brat to him. Maybe he liked that energy. But he never saw the other side of the coin. No one did.

She should have stopped thinking about them a long time ago, but she didn't. Each time she left Kakashi she thought about them again. Did Ibiki give her something that Kakashi couldn't? It was something she had never managed to replicate. She knew she couldn't, and she knew it was gone. She felt happy when with Kakashi- so why did she feel so detached and lonely when he wasn't there in front of her? It was like none of it mattered. All of the fun she had just had was already a memory that was too far away to touch.

She was walking next to Goro, but her mind was somewhere else, stuck in the past. The cliff. The moment he had shown her who he was, when she had been weak he had been strong. He was flawless, always in perfect control of himself and his surroundings. She had longed to be a part of that; she couldn't exist without it. And yet here she was.

But was it where she wanted to be? If that fucking Yamanaka hadn't come between them, would she still be with Ibiki? Could Kakashi give her the rush that she craved? He was so calm and collected. She didn't feel his presence like she had felt Ibiki's. When Kakashi looked at her it was like when any other person looked at her. Not like Ibiki's hungry eyes. His gaze made her feel things she could never put into words. A desperate longing, a need to submit, to give him everything. It felt like being hunted. It was such a primal feeling and stronger than anything she had ever felt in her life.

“Don't do this, Yui. I can't deal with you today.” Goro's aggressive snarl snapped her back to reality. He walked next to her but ahead, glaring sideways at her with his piercing blue right eye she knew didn't match the other, his stance dominant and intimidating. When he walked with his head so high, he was almost taller than Yuina. When his fangs were bared this close to her she could see how long and sharp each one was, and was reminded of the scars on her arms. “You have to be a teacher today. Focus.” He said, showing his fangs.

Goro could sense how her heart rate and blood pressure suddenly spiked and knew exactly what she was doing. He could usually stop her before she became too unruly, and had become a pro at anticipating her episodes. But it was still irritating to have to constantly be alert for her annoying moods.

He often wondered about how Mayu would have handled Yuina. She was so gorgeous and calm, her fur so silky and white, her eyes a fiery orange. She was the fastest and most silent wolf he had ever met. Even with the sense of smell all of the Inuzuka possessed, if she was upwind then no one would have a chance of detecting her. But she couldn't speak. She was deaf from birth.

When the Inuzuka wolves are still pups, their litters are mixed with the human litters and bonding happens naturally. Everyone had thought that Yuina and Mayu were a pair. But it was Goro who stepped in for things that Mayu couldn't notice with her limited senses. Yuina was the most obnoxious child he had ever met. He hadn't wanted to become her full-time babysitter, but that's what happened. He couldn't count the number of times he had stopped her from doing something dangerous or hurting herself.

Yuina was wild and unpredictable but her twin, Yuusuke, was her exact opposite. Yuusuke had clinged to Goro at first, drawn in by his confident and collected presence. The four were close so it was hard to tell, but even the elders had gotten it wrong. Slowly Yuusuke and Mayu were inseparable, their personalities so similar; they were both reserved and logical and didn't need words to express things. Sometimes he swore they had some kind of psychic link like the Yamanaka can do. And Goro was left to keep track of the imprudent Yuina.

She had gotten better with age, but even in the Academy she was reckless. Her defense was shit and she didn't plan well. Her brain was just an unfocused mess, he soon figured out, liable to act purely on emotion and instinct. It was like being paired with a puzzle that was constantly changing shapes. But Goro knew deep down that he liked the challenge, and being a leader to she who so needed it filled him with great pride and contentment.

“Now who's the one daydreaming?” Yuina snapped at him, grinning.

“I was taking a mental break from the exhaustion you cause me,” Goro growled, his voice just a deep rumble in his chest. He hardly moved his lips as he muttered the words, still showing his fangs at her. His words would have been incoherent to anyone else, but Yuina could understand him. She had annoyed him enough to know this tone well.

Goro huffed a deep sigh as they continued walking through the forest. At least Yuina was in a good mood today, he could tell by how easy it was to drag her out of her thoughts. He wondered how much of that was attributed to getting close with Kakashi. Goro wasn't actually worried about their training; he was secretly elated that she had begun some kind of relationship with a man like Kakashi. He couldn't show it outwardly, but he would do everything in his power to keep her stable and secure. He already knew how much Kakashi would help with that, even if he had no idea.

Chiho couldn't stop pacing. Jin was lying on the ground, staring up at the blue sky through the canopy of falling orange and red leaves. Akurei wasn't there. Chiho wasn't expecting her to be, not today. Over the past few weeks he had watched her get worse and worse. It was getting to the point where he wondered if he should talk to Kakashi about it, but the last time he tried to get outside help it had completely backfired. He hadn't forgotten how Inoichi had lost his temper during his session with Akurei, all because Chiho had told him too much. He knew Kakashi wasn't the same as his uncle. But he also knew Akurei wouldn't react well to anyone, not even her own brother. So instead he watched helplessly.

Chiho wondered if anyone else could see it. He knew that the Yamanaka were naturally more attune to the emotions of others, but her mental state was so glaringly obvious. The pain that radiated from her was almost unbearable to be near. Chiho wondered how Kakashi never seemed to notice, but he hadn't seen her have a total dissociated breakdown. He still hadn't decided if he believed there was another human trapped inside her head or if she simply had broken on the night of the massacre, but Chiho knew he was the only one who could help her. Inoichi was more concerned with finding a problem; he was biased, he thought she could be a threat. He wouldn't give her the kind of help she needed, Chiho now knew.

Kakashi was going to be late, as usual. Akurei wasn't coming. Chiho didn't know what kind of repercussions that would have for their group, but he couldn't stand by anymore and watch her self-destruct. He knew she wouldn't react well to him forcing his way into her life again, but he was going to do it anyway.

“Jin... I'm going to go get Akurei. I'll try to hurry back.” He said as he rushed out of the clearing, not giving the Hyuuga a chance to respond. In a second Jin was left completely alone.

Jin sighed, painfully aware of the silence that surrounded him in the clearing. There was a slight breeze, but the leaves barely rustled and the sound of birds felt distant and muted. He had been so happy to have finally graduated the Academy after failing twice, so excited to finally have his own team and friends. He missed when Akurei made fun of him. He missed when Chiho tormented her with his smug demeanor and how angry she got when he showed off. The two had hated each other in the beginning, but Jin thought that had changed. After Chiho's arm was nearly amputated, it felt like they were all getting closer than ever.

But not now. Lately nothing had felt right. Akurei didn't care anymore when Chiho prodded, or when his abilities were necessary for missions and hers weren't. Gradually she stopped trying. Was that why? Was she just feeling inadequate due to the nature of their missions, where it was Chiho they relied on for leadership? That didn't seem right. He could see something in her chakra, he just didn't know what it was.

Jin waited for what felt like forever. He may have dozed off, but he wasn't sure. Chiho still hadn't returned and there was no sign of anyone close. Still lying on his back, he decided to try to see if he could find anyone. He didn't think he could, but maybe there was a chance he could see to Akurei's house. It never occurred to him that they could be in trouble until now.

He activated his Byakugan, suddenly anxious. He was right, Akurei's house was too far to see. Neither Chiho nor Akurei had left her house, either that or they decided to go somewhere else. But then he saw something in the opposite direction, two chakra systems that seemed agitated. As he looked closer he recognized them. His sensei was standing, facing a tree, leaning on it with one hand, the other holding the head of another of the teachers as she knelt in front of him.

Oh. Jin groaned and sat up, deactivating his byakugan. He stood and started walking back towards the village. He wasn't sure how to feel, but he knew he was annoyed. It was long past the time they were supposed to meet, and he was the only one who felt like showing up. Whatever. He could train on his own today.

Jin contemplated returning to the Hyuuga compound and trying to get some more sleep. He was tired from waking up so early to a practice that no one else seemed to care about, but he really didn't want to go home. He didn't want to be in a place where everyone around him could see what he was doing at all times, and the chances of running into someone who hated him was high.

But there was one person who cared about him. His cousin, Hibiki. She was the kindest and smartest person he knew. She was one of the top members of ANBU and one of the few who held the title of captain.

Jin had always looked up to Hibiki. She was one of the few main clan members who never acted superior to the branch family. Even though Jin used to be heir to the clan, she didn't treat him any differently. She didn't hate him for being higher in stature and she didn't hate anyone beneath her. She didn't change how she treated him when he was kicked from the line of succession, either. Most of the main clan started ignoring him and treating him even worse than the branch family, as if he had done something horrible. But all he had done was be born stupid.

As Jin entered the edges of town and the trees thinned out, he could see the buildings just ahead. Not many people were out this early and shops and restaurants were only beginning to open. He realized he was extremely hungry and had no money on him. There were a few small restaurants and ramen stands that were government-owned where ninja could eat for free, since they only existed to serve and protect the town and its people. Now that Jin had graduated, luckily he fell into that category.

He started heading towards the ramen stand known for having the best ramen in Konoha, as well as the nicest shop owner who never looked annoyed by having to give meals away for free. Just thinking about the delicious food was already starting to make Jin feel slightly better.

A chill ran down his spine and his muscles froze as a figure appeared in front of him so fast he couldn't react. Knowing this man could have caught him completely off-guard scared him.

“Jin!” Hideto's playful voice didn't match the annoyed glare in his eyes. Jin contemplated running but knew it was pointless. “Here you are. Looks like you're done early today.” He smiled wickedly.

Jin gulped. He didn't know what to say. Hideto was his cousin, and Hibiki's older brother. He had none of her compassion and had always looked down on Jin, even when Jin was heir to the entire clan he had only thinly veiled his hatred. Now that Jin had fallen from grace, Hideto was ecstatic and openly cruel.

“Hiyashi-sama will be pleased to see you return soon. He had wanted me to train Hanabi today. She needs to learn how to use the seal.” Hideto said haughtily. Jin felt his muscles tense even more and tried not to shake as his heart pounded in his ears. Seeing his discomfort only pleased Hideto further. “I assume you'll come with me and not force me to use the seal. Am I correct?” Jin slowly nodded. Hideto lifted a handseal to his face.

“Y-yes!” Jin stuttered.

“That's better. Come along, I have so much to teach Hanabi...”


	23. Split

“Jin... I'm going to go get Akurei. I'll try to hurry back.” Chiho said as he rushed out of the clearing, not giving the Hyuuga a chance to respond. He darted through the trees and towards Akurei's house, towards her subdued yet frantic chakra. He could tell she was distraught even from afar. That wasn't a good sign.

When he reached the back door he paused. The sliding glass door was open a crack. Without a second thought he grabbed it and slid it open silently. She might be furious, but he didn't care. He had to make sure she was ok.

He stepped inside onto the wooden floor and instinctively removed his shoes and closed the door behind him, silently stepping across the hardwood floor and approaching the stairs. A black cat darted towards him, purring loudly as it rubbed against his ankles. What was his cat doing here? It must have wandered in the open door looking for Akurei. The thing was oddly attached to her, much to Chiho's annoyance. He stepped over the small creature but it was relentless in its quest for attention.

For a second he thought he heard a voice, but when he waited there was only silence from upstairs and the loud rumble of the cat's purrs near his feet. He climbed the stairs slowly and had a sudden pang of guilt for sneaking around Akurei's house. He shook off the feeling; her safety was more important.

As he neared her door he heard it again. She was muttering something and her chakra was buzzing uncomfortably. The cat stopped purring and sat down in the hallway, looking at Chiho. It didn't want to go inside the room.

Chiho slowly pushed her bedroom door open with a soft creak. Akurei was huddled in the corner, sitting with her head between her knees and staring at the floor. Her stringy white hair was a mess and she was rocking back and forth slightly.

“ _Stop.... please stop it..._ ” It took Chiho a few seconds to understand what she was saying, her voice was quivering so much. He felt his chest tighten when he realized she was crying. Chiho took a few hesitant steps towards her as she continued to whisper to herself. “ _I said I'll do it! So why won't you stop... just leave me alone...”_

“Akurei...?” Chiho said softly, kneeling down next to her. She didn't look up, but kept mumbling and rocking. Chiho reached a hand out and touched her shoulder. She jumped and let out a startled scream as her head jerked up. Chiho frowned when he saw her face; she had dark bags under her red, puffy and bloodshot eyes. Her cheeks looked almost sunken-in and she was paler than usual.

_“I said leave me alone!!”_ She shoved his arm off her shoulder and lunged at him, her eyes wide and furious, yet all Chiho could see in them was fear. He was knocked back slightly and grabbed her wrists, her attack weak and pitiful. He hardly had to try to restrain her before she started to go limp, losing any will to keep fighting off whatever she had just seen. She leaned forward and put her head against Chiho's chest. He let go of her wrists and readjusted, cradling her in his arms.

“Akurei, tell me what's wrong.” Chiho said. He knew he couldn't hide the worry in his voice, but she hardly noticed anything around her. She slowly looked up at him. She watched him with confusion, her gray eyes glassy and seeming to struggle to maintain contact with his. He gently pushed her head back against his chest. She was breathing heavily in between weak sobs. “ _Make him stop_...” She whispered against his shirt.

“Alright,” Chiho said. “Tell me how.”

“ _Tell him to fuck off_ ,” Akurei mumbled as she slowly went limp until Chiho was supporting her entire weight. It wasn't much; had she lost weight? It had only been about three days since he last saw her. He slowly lowered her sleeping body to the ground, unsure of what to do. She looked like she hadn't slept or even eaten in those three days. Should he risk waking her up or let her sleep?

He shook the doubt out of his mind; he had come this far, and she had basically given him permission to go talk to Inabi. He lied down on the floor next to her and sighed, a sudden dread washing over him. The last time he had entered her mind she had been fighting with herself and it was obvious that's what was happening again. He collected himself and projected.

He wasn't at all surprised to hear yelling before he had even seen them. When the images began to form in front of him he saw Inabi's chakra everywhere, countless long blood-red tendrils whipping and thrashing through the air, coming from where he stood inside his cage. Inabi stared down at Akurei with the red eyes of the sharingan, his expression one of raw hatred. She glared back up at him, her arms squeezed tightly at her sides by his chakra. She couldn't have gotten out of his grip but she wasn't trying to. She was almost struggling to get closer.

“I told you I wasn't fucking around, now let me out,” Inabi roared at her, his eyes fixated on hers. Chiho said nothing.

“You know I can't do that, why won't you shut the fuck up?” Akurei shouted back at him, struggling against his chakra arms that held her still. “How long are you going to have this fucking tantrum?!” There was a sudden flicker, as if the image he was seeing was on a screen. The tendrils seemed to lose their intensity, floating as if underwater and all of the hostility faded for a moment. There was a split second where Chiho felt an odd sensation, his heart in his throat as if he were falling yet nothing around him moved. As quickly as it came it disappeared, the dreary and dull image sparking back to life with their combined rage. Neither seemed to notice the sudden shift of energy. Chiho continued to watch, fascinated.

“I know _you_ can't do shit,” He spat at her, narrowing his eyes. “But he can,” Inabi turned to look at Chiho, his snarl turning into a sinister grin. He lifted Akurei into the air “Let me out again and I'll consider letting her sleep in the near future,” He said as he threw her roughly to the ground at Chiho's feet. For a second she didn't move and the entire vision in front of him faded into thick, smokey wisps of red. Chiho struggled to maintain his connection to her exhausted mind, but forced her back awake.

As the image came back into focus he saw Inabi's chakra slash at him. He didn't react. As soon as the fire whip got close it dissipated, snuffed out with a hiss by an invisible force field of Chiho's water chakra that rippled from the point of contact. Inabi jerked his chakra back and grimaced.

Before Chiho could react he saw Akurei sliding across the ground, being reeled in by a different chakra arm. Inabi had grabbed her by the ankle and jerked her small body into the air. She hung upside-down in front of him, her long white hair draping down, the only thing between them the bright red bars that locked Inabi away. He inhaled deeply and brushed his long black hair back.

It was then Chiho noticed the bars weren't straight like the last time he had been here. They looked warped and distorted, the metal bending and jerking slightly as he watched. It was barely noticeable, but it was the most alarming thing here. Once he noticed it he couldn't stop staring and he couldn't hide his panic. Had Inabi managed to weaken whatever force was holding him back by agitating Akurei? There was no way he could let him find that out.

“I'm getting back out again, one way or another.” Inabi said smugly.

“Didn't you freak out last time? You ruined your chance to-” Akurei's snarky words were cut off when he slammed her body down into the ground. She yelled out in frustration as he yanked her back into the air, dangling her up high and grabbing at her with another tendril like a cat would torment a trapped mouse.

“God you are such an annoying bitch,” He growled and another chakra arm wrapped itself around her neck, pulling the opposite direction as the one around her ankle. She kicked at the air with her free leg and clawed at her neck, yelling in wordless frustration.

“Inabi, stop this. Put her down and we'll talk.” Chiho said firmly, not taking his eyes off the crooked red bars of Inabi's prison. Inabi grinned and dropped Akurei. Before she hit the ground Chiho appeared beneath her and caught her, the annoyance clear on his face. Inabi raised an eyebrow, unprepared for Chiho to teleport. He needed to understand he was dealing with a Yamanaka, Chiho thought crossly. “If you want me to trust you enough to help, you-”

“need to stop being such a dick all the time!” Akurei interjected as she pushed out of Chiho's arms and stood in front of him, facing Inabi. “I'm so fucking sick of you!” Chiho felt something tense in the air; the anxiety here was nearly palpable. How she had separated herself like this was truly remarkable. Chiho still didn't know what to believe, but he knew that her current stress levels couldn't continue. Whatever kind of episode she was having, he would have to help her through it.

“What kind of compromise can we make here?” Chiho asked, ignoring Akurei's outburst. “Inabi, I need to know that you won't just try to run away again if I release you. If you'd like it to be a regular occurrence, that is.” Inabi perked up, his chakra flicking like a thousand tails in the air around them.

“I'm sure I can make it worth your while, each and every time...” Inabi said as he reached out to hold the bars near his waist, slowly sliding his hands up them. Akurei looked like she wanted to kill him. Before she could say anything Chiho put his hand on her shoulder. She jumped, cutting her eyes back at him.

“Just do it, I don't care anymore! As long as you leave me the fuck alone and let me sleep!” She turned her back to her unwilling companion and leaned against the bars, sliding down until she was sitting. Inabi reached down and pat her head, which she immediately slapped away angrily.

“If I let you out again, you have to promise me you won't pull this shit anymore.” Chiho said. Inabi was looking down at where Akurei sat, his chakra getting closer to her. “Inabi,” Chiho said loudly. Inabi looked up at him through a curtain of black hair.

“I promise,” He said, his voice deep and his smile wicked. Chiho watched Akurei, trying to gauge her reaction. If he could figure out what she was thinking, perhaps he could fix this. He didn't know if it was possible for someone with such starkly split personalities to ever join them, but he wanted to try. It was utterly fascinating to watch, and even his uncle never figured it out. But Chiho was much closer than Inoichi had ever gotten.

Inabi reached his hand through the bars towards Chiho, the excitement clear on his face. His eyes were wide and manic and his chakra flickered and twitched erratically.

This time Chiho was prepared. He wasn't knocked back or disoriented by Inabi's overpowering chakra, in fact it felt weak compared to the last time he had released it. Chiho's eyes flew open and he sat up faster than Akurei, ready to block an attack. She pushed herself slowly onto her hands and knees, groaning. She turned her head to Chiho and his eyes met her red sharingan. Instead of the smug and satisfied expression Chiho expected, Akurei looked just as exhausted as she had a few moments ago. She seemed to be having trouble keeping her bloodshot eyes open, the dark bags noticeable on her pale skin.

“Goddammit...” She said, her voice low and raspy. She leaned back and sat down on the wooden floor, zoning out for a few seconds. She suddenly took a deep breath and pushed her messy silver hair out of her face. She rubbed her eyes and looked around again, looking confused. “That stupid fucking cunt,” She muttered.

“Inabi...” Chiho started, unsure of what to say. “Did you think you could leave Akurei sleep deprived and be fine? If you share a mind...”

“I _am_ fine,” She grumbled, glaring at him for a split second before her lips curled into a slight smile. She crawled over to where Chiho sat, getting uncomfortably close. She leaned in close, her face close to his, her distracting red eyes making him suddenly nervous. He jumped when he felt her hand grab him through his clothes. He tried to crawl backward but didn't react quickly enough; she had somehow shaken off the sleepiness just long enough to surprise him. In a second she had pushed him onto his back and crawled on top of him. “We could make a deal, you know,” She said softly, looking down at him with the evil grin Chiho should have expected.

He tried to sit but she pushed him back down, harder this time. Being so close to him seemed to spark something that had been clouded by her tiredness; her bright red eyes had that familiar glint that he had seen last time from this other persona. She grabbed his wrists and held them down on either side of his head. She was stronger than he had anticipated her tired body to be. Her messy white hair hung down, framing her face as he stared up at her hungry expression.

“If you let me out...” Chiho stared into her eyes as the tomoe twitched in her irises. They had been in this situation before, and Chiho was starting to get annoyed. “I think you'll find I can be much more enjoyable than she is... Just give me a chance,” Akurei let go of Chiho's hands and reached for her shirt, attempting to pull it off over her head. Chiho's eyes widened as he grabbed her arms and held them down near his body, suddenly feeling like he was doing something horrible. Despite Akurei being the one on top, he somehow felt like the one taking advantage.

“Do not remove your clothes,” Chiho ordered. Akurei pouted but let go of her shirt.

“Fine, we can start slower...” She lifted her hips off of him and reached her hand between her legs and onto his abdomen and under his shirt, her fingers slipping beneath the waistband of his pants. Chiho grabbed her wrist and yanked it back outside of his pants.

“How is that slower?!” Chiho said incredulously. Akurei swayed slightly, her red eyes going out of focus again as she fought off a wave of dizziness.

“It doesn't matter, she won't know. She doesn't have to know.” Akurei said with a grin.

“Akurei, get off me.” Chiho said firmly. Her excited expression twisted into one of anger, her eyes narrowing and her smile becoming more of a grimace.

“I'm not Akurei,” She growled furiously. “Fuck this, I don't know what the fuck anyone wants from me.” Akurei stood and wobbled slightly, holding her head as she headed for the door. Chiho jumped to his feet and put himself between her and the exit. Akurei glared up at him, her sharingan a vivid red that looked even more stunning against the dark bags under them. The pure hatred she was radiating starkly contrasted the sinister interest Chiho was used to seeing from those eyes. “I'm not going back,” She muttered softly a second before she charged at him.

Despite how sluggish and sloppy her form was, Chiho still only barely dodged a powerful punch that knocked the door off its hinges and sent the broken wood crashing into the wall beyond it. He heard a high-pitched scream from the cat in the hallway as it darted out of the way.

He only had one idea, and only one chance for it to work. As Akurei made a dash into the hallway he ran after her, reaching for whatever he could. He managed to grab her wrist and pulled her backwards, using the palm of his right hand to shove her shoulder down hard while she was off-balance. She fell hard onto her back and yelled out in anger for a second before he dropped his knee onto her chest to hold her down, his focus now on the nervous cat. He only needed it to keep her still for a second.

“Sorry,” He said as the wind was knocked out of her and she clutched at his leg, coughing and gasping. She would have easily shoved him away if he hadn't already prepared his mind-switch technique. A cat would be so much more manageable than her, if this would even work. He didn't have time to think about what would happen to someone with a mind like hers.

As he felt Akurei go limp he swiped for the cat before it could figure out what happened. He grabbed it by the scruff of its neck and held it up in the air, standing over Akurei. When it opened its eyes he saw red eyes staring back at him instead of the cat's yellow ones.

To his surprise Akurei stirred on the ground. The second Chiho took his eyes off the cat is hissed and swiped at him, kicking furiously until he dropped it to the floor and it scampered towards the stairs. He heard a series of thuds as the cat toppled down the wooden staircase and hit the wall at the bottom.

“Akurei?” He turned his attention back to his teammate.

“It's quiet...” She muttered as she pushed herself onto her hands and knees. “Keep him away from me...” She stood up and staggered back inside her room, not even bothering to look at anything around her or try to figure out what Chiho had done.

“How is this even possible?” Chiho gawked. He had to check the cat. Maybe the mind-switch had failed and that's how Akurei was now currently walking away from him. He hurried to the top of the stairs and looked down. The black cat was lying at the bottom, trying to push itself up to its feet with its front legs and cringing in pain.

Chiho walked down the stairs, trying to look at the cat's face. Its eyes were shut tight in pain. Chiho suddenly felt horrible; it was his fault the cat had gotten hurt. It was an innocent in the violent whirlwind that was Akurei's mind. He knelt down next to the cat and it looked up at him, its eyes still red. He sighed. At least the cat wasn't having to feel unnecessary pain. But how was Akurei conscious? He reached for the cat. He needed to observe them both in the same room.

_Don't touch me! I'd rather be a stupid fucking cat than spend another minute in there._

“That isn't even possible, I'm not even sure how far you could get from her before...” Chiho trailed off as the deep voice snarled in his head and the cat hissed.

_Fuck her and fuck you! Figure it out or I'll find a way to hurt her even more next time! This was nothing... and next time I get out I'll fucking find you, I'll cut your dick off and make you choke on it-_

“What the fuck?!” Chiho snatched the cat by the scruff of its neck again and held it up. It didn't struggle this time, it only dangled from his grip in obvious pain. “This is why no one wants to help you!” Chiho yelled, his anger finally boiling over. He couldn't stay calm anymore and he didn't know what else to do but fight back. “Why are you always such an insufferable asshole? You're sadistic and mean. You think you can get your way by being a dick to everyone, by trying to manipulate me. That shit earlier was just a pathetic, desperate-”

Suddenly everything hurt. Something hit Chiho hard in the back, then chest, then the side of his head. It knocked the wind from him and disoriented his senses. He opened his eyes and something heavy was on his back, pinning him to the cold wooden floor. He gasped for air, but the weight intensified in the middle of his spine. Both of his arms were twisted roughly behind his back and his wrists held tightly together. The pain in his shoulders was sudden and sharp.

“What the hell are you doing?!” A deep voice yelled from behind him. He recognized the voice, but had never once heard it this angry.

_Ha, idiot..._

_“_ Sensei... I...” Chiho tried to speak but couldn't get enough air in his lungs and kept choking on his words.

“I'm not your sensei right now. What are you doing to Akurei?!” Kakashi snarled, twisting his arms painfully. The pressure on his diaphragm was excruciating.

“Nothing!” he said, his voice strained. “Upstairs... She's fine, I swear-” Kakashi reached out and scooped up the cat with his free arm, tucking it gently against his body. He leaned in hard with his knee before standing, pulling Chiho up to his knees by his arms that were still pinned behind his back. With another yank Chiho was standing and being pushed towards the stairs.

Chiho heard an angry growl from behind him when Kakashi saw the broken door. His sensei's grip on his wrists tightened as he shoved him roughly into the doorway. He dragged Chiho over to the bed where Akurei was lying on her stomach, her greasy hair a tangled mess that covered her face.

“Akurei?” Kakashi said, his tone equal parts angry and worried. He slammed Chiho into the wall next to the bed and held him there by his wrists as he put the cat down next to Akurei. He touched her shoulder, shaking her gently.

She groaned and opened her eyes. Even though Chiho's chest was being shoved hard against the wall, he could turn his head enough to see her face. Her gray eyes were replaced by the sharingan. Chiho's heart sank.

The cat meowed helplessly, the fear and confusion evident in its wide yellow eyes. It stood on three legs and hopped off the bed, holding one of its hind legs off the ground and limped out of the room. Chiho felt horrible, but he had much worse problems in front of him.

“Akurei, what did he do?” Kakashi asked, pushing Chiho even harder against the wall. Akurei slowly sat up, her pale face still looking horrible and exhausted, her eyes glassy and bloodshot. She looked up at them, but when she glanced and Chiho and their eyes met he knew he was fucked.

“He drugged me and then raped me when I couldn't move,” She said, her eyes never leaving Chiho's.

“He _what?!_ ” Kakashi roared in anger. Chiho felt gutted. He was in disbelief, how could she have gone that far? Why would she have even though to say that? It came out of nowhere and it felt like his heart had sunken into his stomach.

The pain in Chiho's shoulders intensified until he felt a stabbing pain in his upper right arm. He yelled out in pain, already knowing what it was. A spiral fracture. Despite his screaming, Kakashi didn't loosen his grip. Chiho was panicking; it was far too late to try to push back or escape. He felt his eyes fill with tears and his throat tighten.

“How could you say that??” Chiho's voice quivered as he spoke. He didn't know which hurt more, his broken bone or Akurei's words. “How...?” His throat pinched shut and cut his words off. “Why? Why would you...?” Chiho yelled in pain again as Kakashi kept twisting his arms. “Kakashi-sensei, please... I wouldn't... I would never...” Chiho couldn't stop from crying out as the pain continued to intensify as the fracture was pushed to its limit. Soon it would be a horrible mess to heal. “She needs help!” He managed to force through his cries.  
“Exactly what a rapist would say,” Akurei laughed, her eyes wandering down his body that was contorted and arched to try to relieve the intense pressure of his twisted arms. She stood up, swaying a little. Her eyes zoned out for a second before returning to Chiho's terrified face. He felt the tears running down his cheeks.

“This isn't funny! Stop it!” Chiho shouted through clenched teeth, his entire body shaking. He didn't know how to shove Inabi back down and get Akurei back while Kakashi was threatening to break his other arm too; he couldn't think at all. His shoulders already felt like they were being torn from the sockets, the fracture sending stabbing pains through his entire arm that he felt all the way in his fingertips, in his shoulder and the side of his neck.

“Akurei,” Kakashi said, reaching out to his sister. She leaned just out of reach, stumbling towards the doorway. “Akurei!” Kakashi tried to get her attention, his grip on Chiho's arms loosening. Chiho was finally able to take a full breath of air. “How long has it been since you last slept?” He asked hesitantly, his look of concern intensifying as his sister ducked swiftly out of the room, laughing the entire time. “Wait!”

Kakashi let go and rushed after Akurei, letting Chiho fall to the floor. He didn't catch himself; both of his arms were in too much pain and the sudden release of them hurt even more. When his left shoulder hit the floor he screamed, not expecting it to hurt as much as it did. For a second he lie on the ground sobbing and trembling. He had to leave. He was outside of the city, but his arms would be useless to him now and healing himself would be impossible. His right arm was totally useless between the fracture and the nerve damage, and his left shoulder was definitely torn somewhere.

He slowly got up without using his arms. He tried to hold them as close to his body as he could to prevent them from moving, but every second was agony and there was no way to keep them still without inadvertently using his sore and torn muscles. He couldn't stop crying, and each ragged breath hurt even more. Ino. He had to get to Ino, she would heal him without asking too many questions. He hesitantly approached the door, even though he could sense that neither Hatake was still in the house.

Going down the stairs was a slow process. If he moved too quickly or stepped too heavily it sent shockwaves of pain through his body. He had had worse injuries, so why did this one hurt so much? He tried to calm his breathing as he left the house, not bothering to get his shoes. He couldn't have put them on anyway. He trudged towards the village and away from the forest, where he was sure Kakashi was chasing his sister.

But that wasn't Chiho's problem right now. He had tried so hard to help and she had accused him of something unspeakable to her family and his teacher. Would he be allowed to continue on missions? Was he going to be accused of this publically? He might be, if Inabi had anything to do with it. His team might be broken up and Akurei might even be locked up if she continued to act like this.

He contemplated telling his uncle. He had promised that he wouldn't. He had promised to help, promised to fix everything. But he had only made things much worse. What could he do now? He could try to suppress Inabi or whatever it was that made Akurei turn into a different person. But she had been trying this for a long time and failing. Now that Inabi had a taste of freedom, he wouldn't ever stop torturing her.

Something hit Chiho for a second time today. He hadn't felt anything near him, and the shock was overpowered only by the intense pain his shoulder felt as he hit the ground. He was pushed face-down onto the ground again, his arms useless at his sides. He panicked even more as he felt the weight of a full-grown man on him instead of the small frame of Akurei. Which would have been worse, anyway?

“Where do you think you're going?” Kakashi said, his voice deep but with an edge of frenzied excitement that made Chiho's heart race. Through the corner of his eye he saw his sensei above him again, but this time something was wrong. He didn't look calm and collected as he normally did, his eyes wide and manic. Both of them were red. “I don't know why I didn't think of this sooner,” Kakashi said, cackling in voice that Chiho didn't recognize. “Now I can fuck your ass raw and leave you a bloody, broken mess,” Kakashi said into his ear, grabbing a fistful of Chiho's hair and holding his head against the ground. “Either that, or you're going to help me stay out. Or maybe both,” He laughed again, grabbing one of Chiho's arms with his free hand.

Chiho couldn't even scream out in pain. He couldn't stop hyperventilating, any of his cries immediately cut off from his painfully short and struggled breaths. He could barely get any air into his lungs with so much weight on top of him. He squeezed his eyes shut, or maybe they were still open and he just couldn't see anything.

He was finally able to draw a breath when the weight was suddenly off of him. He didn't see the attack at all, but he saw Kakashi go flying off to the side, hit the ground and in a puff of smoke turn back into Akurei. She lie in a stunned heap on the ground, but he couldn't see if she was moving through the tears in his eyes.

“Chiho, I'm so sorry,” Kakashi said, kneeling down next to him. He reached out but hesitated when Chiho shut his eyes and flinched. Instead he turned and faced Akurei, approaching her motionless body. She stirred and turned to him, but before she could get up he grabbed her and picked her up roughly, putting her in a headlock before she had made a sound. Chiho blinked hard, trying to see clearly. Akurei was struggling to breathe and clawing at her brother's arms, her wide and terrified eyes now a light shade of gray.

Chiho said nothing. He watched as her fear gradually faded away and she passed out. Kakashi set her down on the ground next to Chiho and turned his attention back to him.

“I'm sorry... I shouldn't have reacted. Can I heal you?” Kakashi asked calmly. Chiho watched him and found that he couldn't speak. He wanted to, but nothing came out when he tried. As Kakashi gently touched his arm Chiho found himself zoning out, staring at nothing deep into the forest.

Kakashi felt horrible. He didn't realize how badly he had twisted Chiho's arms. How could he have done this to his own student? He didn't mean to, he was just holding him in place in case he tried to run. No, that wasn't all. The thought of someone doing that to Akurei had made him blind with rage. He had been so worried lately. What if that had been why she was acting so strangely? His fears took over; what if he had been unable to protect her, again?

She had been laughing. Why would she make up such a disgusting lie? The look on Chiho's face should have been enough to tell him that it wasn't true, but still he had attacked. Wasn't he supposed to protect all of his students? What would happen to his team now? Akurei was unstable and Chiho would probably be afraid of him, thinking that Akurei is obviously favored over the three students. He had made a mistake that he might not be able to fix.

He attempted to heal, gently feeling where he had torn the rotator cuff of Chiho's shoulder. His healing was not good enough to fix all the damage he had done; he could stop bleeding and emergency injuries on the battlefield, but dealing with tendons an nonlethal conditions was the job of a medical-nin. Chiho would need someone else to repair it.

“I'm taking her to Inoichi and Ibiki,” Kakashi said flatly. Chiho snapped out of his trance and looked up at him.

“No... it's ok, I'm fine,” Chiho said quickly. “You don't have to do that.” He pulled his legs under him and sat up, holding his right arm close to his body with his left. The shoulder felt only mildly better, but he could use the arm. He didn't try to move the other.

“Yes, I do. You're right, something is wrong. Inoichi knew. She needs... help.” Kakashi sounded defeated.

“I know... I was trying... At least take her to Sayuri. Not Inoichi. Please,” Chiho's eyes were puffy and red. He knew that it might be pointless. If she acted the way she did just now, Sayuri might ask Inoichi to intervene anyway. But she might not, and maybe with Chiho's help they could figure something out.

“Who?” Kakashi raised an eyebrow.

“She's my aunt... she has a... rehabilitation clinic. It's small but Akurei would stay in a room instead of a cell...” Chiho said. Kakashi took in a deep breath, picked up Akurei and stood.

“And what happens if she gets violent?”

“She and her husband weren't always civilians... I think they could handle it...” Chiho said, hoping his worry wasn't as obvious as it felt. If he was there, if he could talk to Sayuri then he could have a second chance to fix things. He didn't know why he still wanted to try.

“No. I want her with someone she knows.” Kakashi said sternly. “And he can heal your arms.”

“She hates Inoichi. The last time she went... they got into a fight. Kind of.” Chiho said hesitantly. “I think that he might trigger an even worse reaction...”

“Fine... We'll try it your way first.” Kakashi wasn't convinced, but he owed a little more trust to his student.

The two walked into town slowly. It was still early and many shops were only beginning to open. As the streets became more populated, a few people turned to glance at the disheveled and unconscious Akurei, but none said anything. They were used to seeing bloodied shinobi return to the village, so this was uneventful.

Kakashi let Chiho lead at his own pace. His eyes were still red and puffy as he stared straight ahead, leading them towards a narrow street of smaller buildings near the edge of town. He was taking smaller steps and cradling his arms in closely to his body. Kakashi glanced down to Akurei. She smelled horrible and had obviously not showered or changed her clothes in days. She felt light in his arms, even lighter than usual. Or maybe that was just his imagination.

Chiho stopped in front of a plain building. He turned to Kakashi and then back down. Kakashi approached it, carefully shifting the limp Akurei to the side so he had a free hand to open the door. He let Chiho walk in first. There was an open reception area with a few chairs and an empty reception desk, and a metal door behind it. Kakashi heard something behind it, footsteps quickly approaching.

“Chiho? What's wrong?” A huge, stocky man had pushed open the heavy door with ease. He wore a plain white uniform and the bags under his eyes were almost as bad as Akurei's. He had short black hair and intensely focused light brown eyes that almost looked yellow in the morning sun.

Quick footsteps followed in the hall behind him. He held the door open and a smaller woman rushed out, her platinum blonde hair tied up in a messy bun and thin metal-wire glasses in front of stunning blue eyes. Kakashi didn't recognize her, but he knew instantly that she was a Yamanaka.

“Chiho!” She rushed over to him and gestured for him to sit down. “What happened to your arms?” Her eyes darted at his unconscious teammate in his sensei's arms, then to Kakashi, then back to Chiho. Kakashi could almost see the thoughts processing in her head.

“It was an accident, Sayuri...” Chiho said before Kakashi could say anything. Sayuri's stunning blue eyes suddenly widened and flickered to Kakashi in an expression of sudden anger, but it faded almost immediately as Chiho kept talking. “Akurei needs help... and might be violent when she wakes up.” Without needing to be told, the large man turned around and left. Sayuri gently touched Chiho's arms, causing him to flinch.

“Tell me what happened.” She said as she began to heal. He clenched his teeth in pain as she touched his upper arm. The large man returned and walked swiftly to where Kakashi stood. “Is this your sensei? Kakashi? Do we have your permission to sedate her?” Kakashi was taken aback by how quickly they had reacted to the entire situation.

“Yes...” As he said the words, the man removed the cap from a small syringe and inserted the needle into Akurei's neck, pushing the plunger down. Akurei didn't react.

“If she becomes violent at any time, does Ryohei have permission to forcibly restrain her?” Sayuri asked without looking at him, completely engrossed in healing Chiho's arms.

“Yes...” Kakashi said hesitantly as the huge man gently took Akurei from him. He was oddly shocked by their seriousness. Despite the fact that Akurei was unconscious, the smallest and least-threatening person in the room, they were treating her like she was dangerous. She would have loved that. “Where are you taking her? What is it you do here exactly?”

“Well, think of this place a a hospital for the mind... If you had taken her to a regular hospital, they wouldn't be able to do anything. No one really talks about the mental injuries every shinobi sustains.”

“We should have as much funding as any other hospital,” Ryohei said curtly, his voice deep and gentler than Kakashi would have guessed. “It's only us two here.” He turned and headed for the heavy metal door behind the counter. “You can come with me,” Kakashi followed, glancing back and Chiho and Sayuri. Neither spoke, but the way they both seemed to be zoning out made Kakashi uncomfortable.

Kakashi followed Ryohei down a wide hallways with doors lining each side, spaced far apart. A gurney covered with straps sat unused against the wall, but the hallways was big enough that the two men could walk side-by-side next to it.

Despite the building looking underwhelming from the outside and relatively normal from the reception area, the deeper inside they went, the more claustrophobic Kakashi felt. There were no windows and the lights were too bright, and he could just tell that the walls were reinforced behind the concrete. He felt no chakra from anywhere outside, which was rare if not impossible without some sort of barrier. Each door was thick and had a small slot, most open to reveal a window into each room. Ryohei shifted Akurei in his arms so he could open one of the doors and the two went inside.

The room was fairly big and at least didn't look too much like a hospital room, despite the intimidating hallway. The bed looked so comfortable that he almost didn't notice the metal bars that ran along the sides and the thick belts that were attached to them. The hospital beds he had been accustomed to were comically thin and stark white, and you'd be lucky to get even a single pillow. But this bed was large with a thick blanket and two pillows. It was meant for someone to stay for a while even if they weren't in critical condition.

There was a table and a chair next to a barred window, so the sunlight already made this room more pleasant than the hallway. The bathroom was strange; there was no door, but the floor and walls suddenly became tile and the only partition was a thin curtain. There was a toilet behind a half-wall towards the back of the bathroom and an open space with a shower head.

When Kakashi turned his focus back to Ryohei, he had already put Akurei down on the bed and had one of her arms in his hand. He adjusted one of the belts so it was around her wrist, but her arm was too small for it to be tight.

“That isn't necessary,” Kakashi said quickly, unsure where his sudden panic came from. Ryohei nodded and unstrapped her. She looked so harmless and helpless lying there that he couldn't believe she had just been attacking Chiho. He suddenly felt horrible for it all. If he hadn't intervened maybe Chiho could have actually helped. Instead, Kakashi had just broken his arms and ruined all of the trust they had built. He tried not to think about that. “What are you going to do with her?”

“She can stay here as long as she needs. Sometimes patients just need to... talk. Sayuri is good at that. Others need medication. But everyone can benefit from a bit of a mental break. Has anything traumatic happened recently?” Ryohei asked. His voice was so monotone and soothing that it even calmed Kakashi down.

“No... nothing. At least not that I know about...” Kakashi said.

“Sometimes old wounds can resurface, sometimes it builds slowly, and sometimes we don't even realize when trauma happens... But whatever the cause, don't blame yourself.” Ryohei said sternly. Kakashi glanced up at him, not realizing he had been staring at Akurei. “We'll do what we can. We will keep her here until we think she isn't a danger to herself or others... Or until you think she should leave. But for now, you shouldn't be here when she wakes up. Sayuri can make sure she is calm and doesn't panic at first, so there's nothing to worry about.”

Kakashi took a deep breath to calm himself. He looked down at Akurei one more time before following Ryohei back outside and watching as the man bolted the door shut. He couldn't fend off the pang of guilt he felt for abandoning her here, but he knew she needed help. He had known for a while. He wasn't sure if he was madder at himself for leaving her here alone, or for not bringing her here sooner.


End file.
